Dead inside
by LovelyKiridia
Summary: Seven lifetimes it's been since we've started remembering. Each time we'd vanquished the evil, and each time afterwards we had each other. We'd marry, we'd have children, we'd age, we'd be together. And then the cycle would start anew. But never did I consider what would happen if one of us were to die early. And what if they weren't reborn?
1. Chapter 1

**Dead inside**

_Seven lifetimes it's been…_

Around me the walls rumbled and shook, dust kicked up as a shower of masonry fell from the ceiling. Somewhere behind me there was a loud crack and then an earth-shattering crash as one of the pillars toppled over, shattering the marble and sending shards flying. The castle was falling apart, and we were still trapped inside. I could hear the last echoes of Ganondorf's cruel laughter, haunting and real even after his demise. It taunted me, it laughed at the reality that this time…this time, we might not survive. Before it hadn't been so hard, we'd make it out okay, Zelda and I, supporting each other and watching out for dangers.

But not this time. No, now it was entirely up to me.

A week ago I would have felt resentment at that notion. Always the hero, always me who had to rush in and save the day, lugging around this extra weight, this burden, behind me like a sack of rocks.

Now I knew better. How could I even think such a thing? She was never a burden, and I wished I had the breath to tell her right now, but I couldn't even spare a moment to catch it. So hard was I panting that I nearly heaved.

She quivered uncontrollably in my arms, wrapped tight in my tattered cloak. She was so small, so light, it was almost as if she wasn't even there.

Then the stairs started to give way, and I knew we were in deep trouble. The stone steps behind us went first, tumbling to the distant ground like laden sacks. I ran forward but came up short as the stone beneath us started to crumble, spider-webbed cracks encompassing its surface before degenerating.

I tightened my hold, squeezing her to me, and searched the area, breathing harshly.

"Shit! Hang on Zelda!"

Her response was a slight clenching of her hands grasping my tunic. It worried me that she had little breath for words, but I was also elated that she still had the strength for movement, even if it was minimal. She tucked her head, nuzzling into my shoulder, a motion that without words conveyed the vastness of her trust in me. And it hurt. Even after all I'd done… she still relied on me as if I were her lifeline.

Tears threatened to escape, but I fought them down. Above all, I had to get us out of here. I could not let my vision cloud. I had to make it for the both of us. We _had_ to make it.

I made a risky decision and jumped out the nearest window, glass shattering as I tried as much as I could to cover up Zelda, pulling the cloak over her hands and face.

_Since we've started remembering…_

It was raining, menacing dark clouds loomed overhead, remnants of Ganondorf's malicious power.

I landed precariously on the wooden scaffolding and ran along its length, praying to the goddesses that I wouldn't slip, for if I did… I stilled my mind. That thought was not worth bearing.

The scaffolding was used for the construction of the outer ramparts, which had been almost demolished when Ganondorf first invaded. And it had been because of my pride and cockiness that I let him come. So many times had I defeated him, singularly laid waste to his armies of moblins and stalfos, that I thought nothing of him. Didn't even think to consider that he'd been remembering too. That he was reliving the legends, playing his part in an assigned cast set by the Goddesses. That he'd been learning from past mistakes, and improving as well. So that one day, he'd be the one on top, he'd be the victor, and the world would be his.

_Each time we vanquished the evil…_

And it almost had been. Because of my foolishness, my pride, and selfishness, I'd almost lost what I had been sent out to defend. In the space of a week, Hyrule had nearly reached a ruined state, its people enslaved and monsters roaming freely.

I was harried as I ran up towards the ramparts. Through the rain and mist, I could make out the hordes of monsters in the bailey, running amuck and searching, having not yet realized that their overlord, the Great Ganondorf, had perished. And even then they still posed a danger, for they vastly outnumbered me, and I didn't have time to face them. I had to protect her, she was defenceless as she was now. Fortune smiled upon me as they'd had yet to notice me.

Zelda was shivering more vigorously, my cloak having soaked within seconds, clinging to her form like a second skin. I hunkered down beneath the planks as a group of Moblins dashed down the ramparts to join their brethren in the search.

Zelda released a low moan, her eyelids fluttering. I dropped low and pressed her close, my cheek resting on her forehead, feeling how alarmingly cold it was.

"L-Link?"

"Shhh," I reassured her. "Don't talk. Just…just don't worry. We're almost out…almost."

"It…h-hurts," she whimpered, her eyes squeezing shut.

I had to bite my bottom lip to keep myself in check. I had to be strong for her. We would emerge from this alive. I'd see to it. I shushed her again, soothingly, and cradled her head. Once the path was clear, I straightened out, readjusting her as carefully as I could and mentally wincing as she whimpered.

Time was short.

Puddles amassed on the ramparts where the stone had not yet been repaired. I heedlessly trod through them then jumped on the ledge overlooking the ravaged Castle Town. Once the pride and joy of Hyrule, the capital now lay in waste. Whole buildings collapsed, others set aflame, burning even through the downpour. I imagined the look of the town's populaces' faces if they could see their homes now, however they were gone. Killed, driven away, or run, terrified of the massive hordes that had brutally conquered them.

I'd find no help here. The best luck I'd have would be at Lake Hylia where the refugees and freemen had all run to. There was no way they would deny medicinal help to their princess, their future Queen. If only I hadn't wasted all my red potions. What I wouldn't give for a healing fairy, or the great fairy herself.

Bracing myself, I launched into the air, casting Farore's wind to slow our descent and soften our landing.

_And each time afterwards…we had each other…_

We'd been spotted, as was inevitable, the light from Farore's wind having pierced the gloomy atmosphere like a telltale beacon. Atop the ramparts Moblins had gathered, screaming in their language of clicks and shrieks, and pointing down at us.

I sent them a deadly glare and vanished down an alley, whizzing arrows thudding into the woodwork in the place I'd been standing.

The streets were crawling with monsters of all types. Some grew exited at the chaos and attacked whatever was in their range, others, the weaker sort, drew away and converged with more of their type, drawing security from numbers.

I had to employ stealth, and I was normally a natural with this method, having on many occasions and in my numerous lifetimes wandered out at night to sneak into Zelda's rooms, or avoided whatever guards that stood sentinel in the corridors both in Hyrule castle and in the numerous dungeons I'd purged. However, at the moment I had little patience for such a tactic. I rushed down the cobbled streets and alleys, and upon rounding a corner, stopped short before a vicious looking Moblin. It heard me and quickly swerved around and stood befuddled.

Both of us were in a bemused sort of shocked state, I was first to recover and hastily took two steps back, putting distance between us. I adjusted my hold on Zelda wrapping my right arm more firmly around her and freeing my left to draw my sword. I'd rather it didn't come to this, but if I had to fight, I would.

Angling my body to cover Zelda, I held out my sword threateningly, my steely gaze unwavering.

The Moblin came out of its daze and raised its massive club, starting forward. I hunched low and blinked to sweep the rainwater out of my eyes. I heard a faint clicking from above but it became drowned out as the Moblin growled and came closer. I heard the clicking sound again and my eyes widened in realization. The Moblin charged, and at that moment I sidestepped it and spun around, switching positions with the Moblin. It grunted in momentary confusion before something from above darted out from the darkness and nabbed it with long-spindly legs and sharp dangerous pincers. The Moblin squealed and struggled, dropping its club, it used its meaty fist to bash into the Sculltula's armoured back, before the Sculltula struck with its pincers and the Moblin abruptly stilled and grew limp, ichor spilling from its wound.

I didn't hesitate to escape the scene, hoping Zelda had been too dazed to witness that.

"Link…" her voice was soft and she barely maintained above a whisper.

This time I looked before taking the corner, making sure the coast was clear. "We're fine. It was just a minor scuffle, I hardly lifted a finger."

Silence. Then she spoke again, this time more firmly as if she was really focusing to get the words out. "Link. Are you…are you mad…at me?"

I let out an involuntary laugh, thinking of all the things she could be asking of me, she had to ask that question. "Of course not. Why would I be? I would never be mad at you, Zelda. Never." My voice broke near the end, but we both pretended we hadn't heard it.

Zelda went on. "You were…that day…in the courtyard. You were with Mell…" she sighed.

My thoughts turned back to that day three weeks ago, the day I most regretted. The unwanted memory drifted to the forefront of my mind without my consent and it pulled me in:

_We'd marry...we'd have children…we'd age…_

It had been a lovely afternoon. The sun lit the grounds with a glow that caused everything to radiate, including her, the girl I was courting. She was a spritely thing, with a dashing smile paired with lush full lips. Her hair was brown and fell in curls, framing her face elegantly as her eyes sparkled. She'd been a highly desired catch among the noblemen, and many were disconcerted and not a tad too upset that she'd chosen me out of all her suitors. Her name was Mell, a countess, and a stunning creature. Her looks and dainty smiles were the things that drew me to her in the first place.

"You know, we cause quite the scandal. Me, an honourable noblewoman, being courted by you, a simple woodsman. If father were alive, he'd object outright," she said, overlooking the pond and flashing me a lustrous smile.

I smiled back and approached her, taking her hands into mine. "Ah, but that would not stop our love, would it? Nothing get's in the way of one's feelings. They'd realize our souls would be torn apart if they even attempted to separate us and so would not dare." Then I added fleetingly. "Of course, it's your soul they'd fear for. Mine is expendable, unfortunately." I cast her a woeful look.

To which, she giggled lightly, having seen through my dramatics. "Oh, stop it sir. A life is a life, and none is any less than another. Even those of the nobility recognize that."

I grinned widely. "I shall take your word for it, my Lady, for I shall not take theirs."

I then made to pull her into an embrace, but she giggled and zoomed away across the beds of Hyacinths. And she really did look lovely, her gown of lilac with an ornate white floral pattern on the bodice, blended splendidly with the flowers, as if she were one of them.

I made to reach her again and again she darted away, laughing giddily. "You know, you've been courting me these last few months. Out of everyone, out of all my suitors, I just knew it had to be you."

I laughed and stalked towards her, lest she try to flee again. "Yes, as you've mentioned many times. And forever shall I be grateful for the humble generosity bestowed upon this lowly peasant."

She backed away even as I moved forward, step for step, until she reached the fountain and quickly circled around it. "Stop that! It's not you."

"What?" I asked, feigning innocence. "Speaking like a noble?"

"Yes," she moved parallel to me as we danced around the fountain, her in avoidance, me in predator mode.

"As the Lady wishes," I smiled wickedly, which instantly alerted her and she turned tail and ran as I vaulted onto the fountain and dashed through the waters. Although she had a head start, my legs were longer and I was quicker. In seconds I caught her around the waist and spun her, she giggled and laughed the entire time at the absurdity of the action.

Setting her down, she stumbled a bit, dizzy. "I have yet to reach my point," she said, trying to compose herself.

I cupped her cheek, leaning in. "And that is?"

She nuzzled into my hand, placing her own overtop it, and gazing at me with wondering twinkling eyes. "When?"

"When?" I mimicked, genuinely perplexed.

She blinked slowly and pressed. "When are you going to finally propose to me?"

That honestly had caught me by surprise. Marriage to anyone but Zelda was practically unfathomable. But since I'd taken all this time to court her, perhaps it was about time I asked the life-altering question to Mell. After all, I did love the girl, didn't I?

"And how should I propose to you?" I drawled. "Beneath the twilight on bended knee? Or perhaps down by lake Hylia, it offers such a splendid view, and no doubt the scenery would match your beauty."

Mell blushed a rosy hue and smiled softly. "To tell you the truth, I've never been fond of all that romantic nonsense. I do not want you to make a big scene or to plan it perfectly to the very last detail. If you were to propose to me, I would much prefer it to be on a normal day, perhaps while we were taking a walk, in the gardens. Then suddenly, you would hold me close," her eyes darted to my lips and I licked them in anticipation, "and you whisper in my ear…"

I dropped my head until my nose caressed the curve of her round human ear, nuzzling it slightly. I whispered lowly. "And what would I be saying?"

Distantly I heard the calling of my name, but upon recognizing the voice I ignored it, much preferring my current state of distraction. Mell sighed softly and wrapped her arms around my broad shoulders. "You'd tell me how much you love me. How much I mean to you, that you'd die without me and you'd die for me. You'd ask me to be the love of your life, forever and for always, even in death, we'd be together."

My breath hitched at her last declaration, but I steadied it unwaveringly. I brought our bodies closer and delicately kissed down her cheek and along her neck. She tilted her head to accommodate me, a gasp of pure bliss elicited from her mouth.

It was then that I turned her face to fully confront mine and smashed our mouths together. My movements were fluid as I kissed her with a passion, inhaling her scent of lilies and cream, half anticipating that of roses and lushwood.

The distant cry of my name almost pulled me out of that special moment, it called closer and louder.

Our mouths parted and we played the game of tongues, intertwining and persistent, saliva mixing as our heated mouths drew apart. We stood a moment, chests heaving and pressed against one another, foreheads together as we gazed into each other's eyes. Her's, saying without words of her adoration for me, and mine…

"Link!"

We parted slowly, our gazes attracted to the slightly flushed face of Zelda, the princess of Hyrule. She looked as if she had run a mile, she tried to slow her rapid breathing, all the while smoothing out stray tendrils of hair. She looked over the two of us, locked in each other's embrace and her eyes took on a steely glint.

"Link, what in Hyrule are you doing?" she asked calmly, but I could clearly see that she was aghast and a bit upset. But I didn't let that bother me. She should have been expecting this.

"Kissing," I replied nonchalantly. "It is part of what courtship entails. Right, my Lady?"

I rubbed my nose with Mell's and she smiled brightly at me. "Oh, yes, Linky."

"Linky?"

I flinched, utterly not fond of the name as well. It sounded too childish and I felt the blow to my manhood whenever Mell, or a mocking suitor addressed me as such. But I held back my displeasure in order to keep her happy.

I sent Zelda a peeved look. "Is there something you wanted, your highness?" Why was she the one being all offended? She walked in on us, she was butting into our business. You didn't see me stalking her everywhere she went.

Coughing suddenly to clear her throat, and standing a little straighter, she addressed me calmly. "Link, I require your assistance. Now. Please."

I sighed, shaking my head. Did she always have to be so demanding? Sometimes I really resented her for that. In all our other lives too, she just could never cut me a break.

"She seems awfully trite," Mell whispered to me conspirationaly. "Something must have her undergarments in a twist." She covered her mouth and giggled as if she had said something indecent.

I smiled and kissed Mell softly on the brow and pulled away. "Well, let's go see if I can untwist them." Then I rushed to assuage her. "Not in that way, my love. I'll be right back."

Mell gazed lovingly at my back as I went to Zelda who seemed even more flushed, having probably heard some of what was being said, and was notably upset over it. She noted my compliance and hastily spun on her heels, rushing down the row of hedges and entering the castle proper.

I followed at a respectable distance, keeping close watch on her back where her golden strands of hair swayed idly. I sighed and started to whistle as we moved down the corridors, nodding at each passing guard with due respect and smiling with mocking jeer at the nobles.

Then we arrived at our destination. Zelda's office was large and spacious, having been her father's before it had become hers it was still decorated with his more manly tastes. As with all of our reincarnations, I was always destined to be orphaned, her mother always died early, whether in childbirth or assassinated or by accident, and her father the king always followed soon after, leaving Zelda regency at a young age and full rule as a young monarch at the age of 18.

I stepped in without hesitance, rocking on my heels, and hands clasped behind my back waiting expectantly. The door shut with a soft click and I turned to look at her. Her head was bowed, face shadowed in a strange way that I had never seen before. Then again, I had noticed her more morose disposition and sudden loss of weight lately. Can the girl not even look after herself?

"Link," she said softly, almost glumly.

I teetered forward on my toes. "That's my name, now what is it that you want?" then I rocked back on my heels, somewhat impatient to leave. The room suddenly felt overwhelmingly stifling, and I wanted to escape it post-haste.

She then snapped her head up, her cold eyes fixated on me. "Are you quite done yet?"

"Done what?"

"Playing these silly games?" she shot, marching over behind her desk. "I've had enough of watching and waiting. When are you going to reject her and marry me?"

Now this I grew angry at. Reasonably so. How dare that…that presumptuous little... "Reject her? Marry you?" I said coldly. "When was this decided then, hmm? When did you have a say in what I do and who I marry?"

Zelda stammered for a moment. "That – I'm not," she inhaled, "you're my husband!"

"Not in this lifetime!" I shot back.

She inhaled sharply and glared daggers at me. "I've indulged you these past few months, and I admit that I'm jealous. You've had your fun now, you can get rid of the tart and return to me. Isn't that what you'd intended."

My anger was rapidly building, my fists clenched and teeth grit. "What I've intended? Zelda, haven't you ever thought what if I didn't _want_ to marry you? What if for once I had someone else that I wanted to love and cherish!"

"Through life and death, Link!" she yelled, her eyes becoming glazed. "Forever… that was in our vows, all of them, all those lifetimes…"

I snorted. "Lifetimes, too many if you ask me."

She blinked and looked at me with surprise. "What?"

I shook my head and stepped up to the desk, looming over her. Zelda started back and hit the edge of her large wing-backed chair and fell into it. I gave her my darkest look yet, filled with silent threat.

"_That's_ the problem, that we have lifetimes, and it's always with you," I growled vehemently, not caring what effect my words might have on her. She might be a princess but even princesses had to be knocked off their high and mighty thrones once in a while. It was about time she was returned to the real world where things did not always go her way.

"I'm tired of always being tied to you. Marrying you? It's like a requirement after saving Hyrule each and every time. I'm sick of all the harsh glares and cruel remarks, the disapproving expressions, and the not so subtle whispering behind my back. I'm sick of being pushed around and bullied again and again by your nobility because they never fully accept me as their king. With Mell it won't be so bad, because at least I won't be lording over them. Even you can tell they all resented me, and never could take me seriously. Even now they still don't. No matter what laws you pass and how you mediate between the wealthy and the poor, nothing has changed, after all these years. So, yes. I'm sick of having them look down their dainty noses at me. I'm sick of being king and having all the responsibility of the post dropped onto my lap. And I'm sick of _you_!"

At this point tears were freely falling down her face. But I didn't care. My thoughts were trained on Mell and getting this little meeting over with so that I could return to her. Zelda's feelings didn't matter at this point. Somehow I had to get it through her thick skull that I wasn't her dog to order around as she pleased. I wasn't a mindless being at her beck and call.

I was my own person, and she'd damn well know about it by the end of this!

"Link…I'm…I'm sorry," she whispered, and I snorted in derision.

"Yeah, sorry for everything you put me through, I'm sure," I snarled. All my pent up resentment for her emerging at this critical point in time. "Sorry is just a word. It doesn't make up for all those times I risked life and limb for you and your country, a country that you can't even hold onto for more than a week before some villain comes in and snatches it from you." I let loose, and it felt liberating. "You sent me in to conquer dungeon after dungeon, to face the most horrifying monsters there are in this world. What? You couldn't send a few of your _gallant_ knights to lend a hand? It had to be only me, did it? Because I was your precious hero?"

"Link…I-"

I slammed my hands down on the mahogany and she jumped in fright. "No, just shut up! You never really cared about all I had to face each and every time. As long as everything turned out right in the end, what I did to get there didn't matter! Do you know how many close calls I've had?"

"I had confidence that you would make it…" she trailed weakly.

I shook my head in disappointment. "Do you have any idea what sort of emotional baggage I had to carry with me wherever I went? What sort of horrors I endured? Well, let me tell you, your _highness_," and this I spat out mockingly, to which she cringed. "It was much more than you who simply hid away until all the danger had passed. After I did all the sweat work and you remained safe in hiding or imprisoned. No worries for you, were there?"

Zelda maintained a silence, sniffing audibly whilst digging her fingernails into the armrests. She shook as she cried, and I mercilessly drew satisfaction from that sight. Finally, she understands. Now she knows and now she could do whatever the hell she pleased with the information.

I straightened up, flattening my fringe and fixing the ruffles from my tunic. I turned on my heels and stopped just outside the door, having no patience to stay any longer. Mell was waiting…

I angled my head to look at her. "I'm marrying Mell. You can imprison me, exile me, or whatever. But just so you know…it's not always you."

I left her, slamming the door harshly. Out in the hallway I could hear her loud sobs as she cried for me. I wrinkled my nose. Undignified, that's what it was. I tried to feel light and fixed a forced smile on my face as I headed back to the gardens, but for some reason I felt weighted and dreadful.

I hadn't known then the true trials of love. I hadn't known what feelings, what secrets the threat of danger could awaken in the heart. One's deep yearning for their true partner…

_We'd be together…_

My heart wrenched in agony and regret. This time, I couldn't stop the tears from coming even if I tried. "I'm sorry, Zelda. I'm so so sorry…"

But as I said that day, sorry was just a word. It could not make up for all the hurtful things I said and did. It had never been about Mell. I'd come to realize that she was just a ploy to get back at Zelda. I was despicable using her in that way. I was despicable for ever wanting to cause harm to Zelda. No. It was only Zelda. She was my light. And I didn't care if I had to protect her, save her and her kingdom a thousand times over, I would do so in a heartbeat. Goddesses, just spare her please…

A hiss of air as I accidentally jostled her wound. I whispered another apology and kissed her brow.

I thought back to the battle with Ganondorf. It had begun like any other duel I had against him. We matched strength with strength, but me with the master sword would always overcome him and his stolen power. But then, as the fight was nearing its conclusion… He must have seen that history would again repeat itself, because he managed to push me back and it was only for a second, it only took a few seconds, for him to turn on Zelda. She'd been battling him with me, something I said had struck her that day, I'm ashamed to admit it. But she fought alongside me, and when usually she'd stay a distance away with her bows and arrows, this time she took it upon herself to display her vast knowledge of swordplay and use it against Ganondorf. That hadn't been anything he'd been expecting, probably the last thing, and it had taken me by surprise as well. Zelda's sudden zeal and drive to do more than she'd ever done.

I admired her then, and was immensely proud of her, although I hadn't had the time to say it. The sight of her, that determined expression and hard steel to her eyes, caused a massive surge within me and I'd felt that with her, I could do anything. What struck me as well was that she hadn't conveyed any anger or bitterness toward me, and after that bashing I'd given her, I suppose that was what I had anticipated, and it would have been deserved. But no, she simply held out her hand, and smiled, then she asked me to assist her. As if she were the hero, as if I had the choice to walk away right then and there.

We fought brilliantly together, incorporating our distinct styles and skill sets so that we worked marvelously in tandem to one another. She even got in a blast or two of magic that hit dead on and really did some damage, nearly shattering his armour. Ganondorf had been battered mercilessly, overwhelmed and overpowered.

His last act was one of desperation and vengeance. I was to deliver a horizontal strike, then Zelda was to close in from behind and slash his calves, rendering him to his knees whereupon I would stab the master sword in his heart and end the battle. But he'd gone to her, his focus had been on her, instead of me. As she crept close he dodged my attempt and struck before she could, his sword plunging clean through her abdomen and then brutally yanked out, tearing with it a fountain of blood. Time had slowed in that moment as she'd fallen, water and blood coating her front. The instant she'd touched ground time sped up and I'd gone into a rage.

I went berserk, I held no restraint as I slashed at him over and over, and all the while he'd been laughing. That maniac had been laughing as if he were the true victor, even when finally my sword had been thrust deep within his skull, he'd smiled as he disintegrated and faded away.

_And then the cycle would start anew…._

"I – I'm sorry," she cried, her eyes swelling with tears that rolled down her face. "Ev-everything…is my…my fault!"

I shushed her, whispering words of soft rebuttal while stroking my thumbs over her arm and leg, an attempt to comfort. "Don't say that. All I said… I didn't mean any of it, any of it at all. I don't love Mell. It's always been you, always. Hang on, please, Zelda."

I pressed against the wall as a gang of moblins ran past, shrieking wildly. I could see the gates from here. Almost there, we were almost out. Then I could tend to her, I would bandage her up, better than the torn cloth that had been hastily secured around her middle for the time being. I'd make sure she got to Lake Hylia alive. She was going to make it. She had to.

I brushed my tears in her hair, soft and golden, then rushed across the street to the next alley.

Almost there, just a little longer.

_But never did I consider…_

I looked in horror upon the stacked furniture before me, a barricade, created by the villagers when the moblins had first invaded. It posed a hindrance to us now, a structure we had to go around. I had to backtrack and look for another way. But I couldn't lug Zelda everywhere with me, the movement would bleed her out.

Reluctantly I made up my mind. I'd find a path, then I'd come back for her. I'd be able to move more quickly by myself and if I did get caught, she'd be hidden and hopefully… hopefully someone else would find her. Once the townsfolk realized what was happening. They'd return, they'd finish off all the monsters. They'd find her.

Please live.

I bent down gently, and she clung on, fearing the motion entailed a danger was approaching. "I'm going to put you down. But just for a moment. I need to scout a bit forward. I won't take long. I'll be back soon, just wait… wait for me here. And don't go to sleep, I want you to tell yourself the tale of the Goddesses then retell it to me when I get back. Don't skip anything either."

I settled her in a darkened corner, enclosed by crates and other debris. I fastened the cloak more firmly around her and leaned one of the broken boxes against the other so that she could have some semblance of a shelter. The ledge of the building shielded us somewhat from the rain, but the wind blew it at an angle.

I just wished I could provide her with a proper blanket as a means to warm herself with.

It scared me, how little she responded. Her half-lidded eyes were pleading as they were directed at me, and her breaths escaped in weary gasps. I shook and rubbed my eyes silently, honestly fearing for her life.

Before I could change my mind I stood and stepped away from her. "I'll be back. Please, don't leave me, Zelda."

Knowing that this was our best chance, I struck out back down the alley. I faltered as I heard her call me back, her voice feeble and scared and full of pain. But I had to go on.

I hurried as fast as I could, down one alley, then another, becoming frustrated each time I encountered one of those Goddess damned blockades. It took me a while before I was able to form a route, and by then my heart was spluttering with panicked worry. Had I been away too long? Was she alright? Goddesses, please let nothing have happened to her, she means the world to me.

She was just as I'd left her. I heaved a sigh along with a thanks to the Goddesses as I crouched near her in relief and pulled her carefully in my arms.

"L-Link…the story of the Goddesses…" she said tiredly.

I brought my lips to hers, tasting fresh tears and blood. "Not now. Later. When it's safe. Tell me later. Promise me, you'll tell me later."

I hoisted her up. Her shivering had increased and she no longer had the strength of will or strength overall to hold onto me as she'd previously been doing. Her hands rested limply in her lap as she blinked slowly, and groaned.

"Come on," I said, hopefully. "We're almost out of here. Just a bit longer."

_What would happen …_

It happened all of a sudden. Down one of the main streets, I tripped and almost dropped Zelda as I hit something thick and heavy. I looked down and saw a bleach white stick. I realized belatedly that it was not such. Piles of bones lay hidden in the shadows. I'd been mildly suspicious that the street had been empty before, and now I knew why.

With a swirl of wind and rattling of bones, the monsters reconstructed themselves, forming the monstrous figures of fleshless Stalfos. I ran for it and they pursued.

My brain quickly encapsulated the route we had to take, pulling it from memory. I rushed onwards, all the while highly aware of what was at my heels, what we would face if I were to fail us, if I were to fail her.

Zelda moaned in my arms, and it came to me that rushing like this wasn't doing her wound any good. But what choice did I have. I had to get her to safety. If not Lake Hylia, to Hyrule field where there were slave camps and where those camps were currently having a massive revolt, one that I'd arranged with the assistance of the freemen who would ride in and attack from outside in. They'd have won by now surely, their doctors taking care of the injured and weak.

Zelda emitted one last shuddering gasp and fell still. Shocked and frightened, I stopped and gently shook her, heedless of the impending danger.

"Zelda? Zelda!" I shook her harder, and for a moment my breath caught as her eyes fluttered open, lazily. "Zelda," I breathed in relief, crying tears onto her face.

She made a heroic attempt at a smile, the gesture reassuring. "I'm sorry…that I'm such a…a burden to you…that you always…have…have to save me…"

I growled. "Stop. Stop apologizing, you did nothing wrong! You never have done anything wrong!" I reoriented myself and hustled down the street. Maybe I could lose the stalfos along the way. "It's all me. I'm always the one that wrongs you!"

"Oh, Link…" she sighed.

_If…one of us…_

The drawbridge had long been broken down, Ganondorf's first act upon arrival. As a guest it spoke miles of his foul mannerism. Link was grateful for it now, if it had been whole and in repair, it would have probably been drawn up, and he'd be trapped within.

"Look, Zelda. Hyrule field. Can you see it? We're almost there!" I said bolstered.

Zelda hummed her delight, and fixed her hazy gaze ahead at the expanse of greenery, greyed by the overcast showers.

Discretely I checked on her wound, going deathly white as I saw the bright red stain coating her front and hands, and no doubt my tunic and arms as well. She didn't have much longer. If I didn't get her to a doctor soon she'd be done for. No. I couldn't think about that, especially not right now that we were nearly there, just a bit more, a bit farther.

Then something shoved into me and I lost my grip.

"Zelda!" I called out in terror as she was flung from my arms and hit the ground hard with a smack, rolling over twice before stilling, her head lolling and body limp.

Horror pierced my heart. Zelda, my light, my love, please be okay. I didn't take a second to consider what it was that had bumped into me, it hardly compared with the frightening scene that I looked onto now. Zelda prone on the ground, blood spreading from her wound and mingling with the puddle she half-lay in.

I launched myself at her, dodging another blow and ducking a thick arm. I fell to the ground at her side, crouched over her. Her hair shielded her face from view, and when I uncovered it I saw that her eyes had rolled up, and she was now fully and dangerously unconscious. Blood leaked from her mouth as I hoisted her on my lap.

"Zelda? Wake up," I said weakly, my words partially convoluted as I sobbed. I didn't care about who saw me, I let loose and cried over her.

Heavy footsteps arrived, followed by a clanking of metal and a cracking of bones. I heaved one last heavy sob and wiped my eyes. I looked up and directed my heated gaze on the foe that now barred my path, a black-armoured Iron Knuckle, surrounded by a mob of Stalfos, all cackling giddily.

I drew Zelda close to me and hissed through my teeth. "Away with you! Your master has fallen, you will all perish if you do not leave."

The Iron Knuckle stepped forward while the Stalfos remained abnormally silent in the background. "A threat," the Iron Knuckle's voice boomed above the downpour. "A foolish one at that. We have you at our mercy. Now, hand over the maiden, and come with us quietly."

I barred my teeth in a vicious snarl. Pressing Zelda up close, front to front, her head nestled on my shoulder, and my hand stationed around her waist securely. I stood up and drew my sword, ready to do anything, to take on a thousand of Ganondorf's minions for my princess.

I could feel a warmth seeping into my clothes and knew that it was Zelda's blood. Oh please no.

The Iron Knuckle took a step back, his thick broadsword pointed at me. "A fighting spirit. Very well, let us see how you fare against all of my Stalfos."

And they attacked. It felt gratifying shattering all those bones to pieces, decapitating all those heads. The Iron Knuckle remained uninvolved to the side, but he'd come later, and it would be with the utmost relish that I killed him. Just like it had felt to kill Ganondorf. And just like it would feel to kill him the next time, and the next, as long as I had Zelda at my side, I'd go through all that pain, I'd kill him a thousand times.

I had to keep a hand on Zelda at all times, unwilling to drop her, unwilling to put her in harms way, and unwilling to let her go lest one of those monsters nab her. Whenever one of the Stalfos' sword threatened her, I veered around in an arched curve and deflected it before eliminating that foe, then I'd go on to the next and the next, all without pause. So enthused was I that all the minor slices and cuts I sustained became nothing, I did not feel pain, I did not feel the cold, only this rage that engulfed me. These monsters had come between us and safety. They were wasting time!

Zelda came awake at a point in the fight, eyes droopy and surprised as she slowly registered what was happening. I grinned in relief, she hadn't given up yet, and even now, surrounded by enemies there was still hope.

"Link..." she murmured quietly. I didn't answer her, too concentrated on keeping us both alive.

But before long, I was overwhelmed. I grew tired, the stress from the past few hours and my fight with Ganondorf adding up. I became sloppy, and the Stalfos honed in on that, attacking with renewed vigour.

A direct hit to the base of my sword, and a sharp twist, made my hand let loose. The master sword soared away and clanged against the wall of a house before dropping to the cobblestone. I didn't let that stop me and I fought on ruthlessly throwing punches and kicking and scratching, but it was not as efficient as my sword. I couldn't overcome them.

They converged on me, and I was pulled down. Then a scream rent the air, terrified and pained. Two of the Stalfos had grabbed Zelda around her arms and were tugging her away.

"Link!" she cried out, looking up at me with wide scared blue eyes.

"Zelda!" I called, encompassing her with both arms, foregoing the fight and taking all the hits and punches that the Stalfos threw at me. They must have wanted us alive or else they would have been hacking with their swords.

But I couldn't hold on. A pair of Stalfos yanked my arms apart, another two pulled her away. Then she was gone, I lost her. She was being carried over to the Iron Knuckle, her eyes wide and frightened. She looked pleadingly at me over her captor's clavicle and it broke my heart utterly when I realized I couldn't do a damn thing to help her.

"Link!" She desperately reached out for me, her hand suspended midair.

"Zelda!" Adrenaline coursed through me as I fought the Stalfos. Their numbers proved too great, and they soon had me restrained and brought to my knees.

I watched horrified as Zelda was presented to the Iron Knuckle who was chuckling delightedly.

_We're to die early…_

"Princess of destiny indeed," grumbled the Iron Knuckle lowly. "A fatal destiny it seems. You're practically dead as it were."

Zelda flinched as the Iron Knuckle trailed a finger along her face, down her cheek then drifted it towards her wound and pushed his finger in harshly. She screamed out hoarsely, writhing, wracked with pain.

"Zelda!" I called out and jerked, nearly escaping my captors. I growled and snarled like a caged wolf. "Don't touch her! Get away from her!"

The Iron Knuckle withdrew his finger and observed the glistening digit coated with her blood, slowly being washed away by the rain. Zelda panted, her eyes unfocussed, but always trained in my general direction.

"Zelda?" I said tentatively, growing extremely worried. She was at her last. And even as my eyes confirmed what I saw, my mind and heart were set firmly in denial.

"There's no use in keeping this one," the Iron Knuckle went on. "Might as well end her torment now. An act of mercy, if you will."

"No," I said tormented, "No! No don't!"

Zelda gazed at me then, suddenly focused and clear, as if her last moments of desperation had allotted her that clarity. I felt tears well up in my eyes, trailing in rivulets down my cheeks and mingling with the rain droplets. When her gaze landed on me, and all that hidden strength and courage mustered up and reflected in her eyes, I choked. All I could do was weep and cry and struggle futilely and she demonstrated all the heroics that marked a true triforce bearer.

"Zelda," I said anguished.

The Iron Knuckle brought his sword up, but Zelda paid it no heed. Her entire focus was directed to me. "We'll meet again…in the next life…I'll wait for you…there."

I jerked forward, yanking my captors off balance. More were quick to grab on. "Wait! No, Zelda!" I cried out then said desperately. "Marry me! Marry me when this is over! Say you will!"

Zelda mustered up the last of her feeble energy to smile at me, a despondent and love filled one. "Link…"

The blade came down and thrust through flesh and bone, piercing her heart. Her head jerked back and her chest thrust forward in a reflexive response. Slowly, her eyes misted over until they were truly unseeing, then she became limp in the Stalfos' arms. She was dropped to the ground uncaringly and I gazed at her through a clouded vision. I sagged in despair. Before me, the Iron Knuckle stood over Zelda's prone dead body, her hair splayed out like a golden blanket. He stationed metal-booted feet on either side of her as he bore down on me with glittering yellow eyes.

The Iron Knuckle jerked his head. "Take this one to the dungeons. I'm sure he'll find his accommodations most generous."

The Stalfos dragged me, and that was when I struggled. It was as if being immersed in a horrid dream. I jerked and bucked, attempting to overpower them and break free. I was desperate to get to Zelda.

"Let me go! Zelda!"

The five Stalfos struggled to hold me and I managed to free one arm, swiftly stealing a sword, but my arm was grabbed before I could make use of it. My wrist was squeezed until I was forced to relinquish the sword, then my arm was folded behind my back with the other. They forced me forward, and I resisted the whole way. I angled my head over my shoulder glimpsing Zelda's dwindling figure. She was gone. Truly gone. And I wouldn't see her again... not until the next lifetime.

"Zelda?" I muttered softly, in denial. "ZELDA!"

_And what if…_

A fortnight I spent chained in the dungeons in the lowest and dankest subterranean levels of Hyrule castle. The monsters guarding me force-fed me, as I was too mentally out of it to eat. I kept on reminiscing on that day, those months that must have been pure torture for her, having to stand back and watch as I courted another, all the while our wedding vows lawfully remained intact even after our reincarnations. By the Goddesses, how many times within that period had I done her wrong?

Then was one day that I did not eat at all. The monsters had not come. The next, Hylian scouts had arrived, having scoured every crevice to eliminate the remaining monsters. Apparently, the slave camps had done it, the slaves had revolted and won, and with the freemen had successfully liberated the rest of Hyrule. What the rebels mentioned with some hesitance was that there was some argument about attacking Castle Town directly, and it had been the sight of their beloved princess skewered on a pole above the drawbridge that had incited them to action.

I had puked right there.

Her body had since then been rescued and well tended to, and at her funeral, more than a few people had erupted in uncontrollable wails. I felt more of a failure at that moment than any other time in the history of Links. I had stood there, in the shadows in the back, neither saying a word, nor shedding a tear. Nobody blamed me. That's what they said. But I could feel their disappointed gazes on me whenever I passed them. The townsfolk muttered in utter sadness and the nobles gazed pityingly at me, as if I was the most tragic love story in existence.

It was ironic that that was the final act that broke the nobles resolves against me. Respect was divvied out, and the law that Zelda had been trying to pass for centuries about the treatment of peasants and peasants brought to power was instated, the vote on the council unanimous.

Mell had survived the takeover. She'd returned once the rebuilding was well underway and most of the houses had been finished. She'd searched for me. That one time I almost ran into her I purposefully drew my hood up and kept to the shadows. She'd ran past me as if I were a total stranger, and all I could think of was that Zelda would have known it was me. She would have at once recognized my posture, and the portion of my face that wasn't concealed. But Mell didn't, and I made sure that she never found me.

Sometimes I wanted it all to end. I'd go out, searching for danger, taking risks, just so that I may die. We've lived lifetimes together, and I had at one point thought I'd become sick of her – the very notion sickens me now – but one lifetime apart and I fell to pieces. I couldn't live without her. I just couldn't. But whenever I did try to end it, something always called me back. To the castle, or just to the town, I wasn't sure, but I could never fully let go, and so I didn't die, by my own hands or otherwise.

Sometimes the wind would blow through the fields and I'd imagine they're her arms, holding me, her hands caressing my face. I'd lean into it, taking comfort, and then I'd fall and return to cold reality. I felt her and saw her everywhere I went, and it was torment and shear bliss. Thinking about her was agony and comfort. I missed her, and I forever would. I was dead inside...

And so I lived on, until I was 82 no less. A sad and miserable life it was, and tragically, the longest I'd ever had.

Until the next lifetime when we could be reborn. Until then, there is no life for me.

For she is my light, and our souls connect through time and space.

And now as I look over East Hyrule field and stare at Hyrule Castle, a stone sentinel posted as a symbol of majesty over the town ahead, embraced in my new 17 year old body, memories newly attained, I see hope and light.

Zelda…my light, my love…

I'm coming for you.

_They weren't reborn…_

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A/N: I wrote this after watching Clannad afterstory for the second time, and felt like writing a tragedy. I hope this makes some of you sad.

Please read and enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So I decided to continue after all. I couldn't help it really, after I wrote the first chapter the ideas kept on coming. This chapter focuses a little on Link's new life in his most recent rebirth. **

**Thanks to Generala, Death Waltz, Wolf, Vria, Guest, Needlesslyhere, and Bloodspire for reviewing!**

**Thanks Generala for pointing that out. I fixed the spelling of Ilia's name. Also, please note that Sarah is not meant to be Saria, she is a separate person. This story has features of the other Legend of Zelda games but also features not in the games and that I've created myself from other times Link and Zelda have been reborn. **

**Also, you'll notice that I've added a few more places in my stories. I believe that the legend of Zelda games sort of compact the environment for the convenience of the gamer, but in reality Hyrule would be far more vast and contain many more towns and villages etc. Castle Town also would be much larger than that small little thing in the games. Actually, in the OOT manga, there's a pretty good image of Castle Town with Hyrule castle in the background that I'll sort of base the Castle Town in this fic off of. **

* * *

Chapter 2

Sometimes when he slept strange images would come to him, like the shadows of a forgotten world. A castle of sparkling white, turrets angling up towards the sky like thrusting javelins, a moat and a garden with hedges forming a mazelike network, and then the stone would darken and become the most desolate place in existence, filled with fear and anguish. There'd be foul beasts and monsters, underwater caverns, the scent of firewood and sweat, and a voice…the darkest most evil sound that rose above a rugged landscape, laughing and laughing and laughing. But most importantly there was a princess.

The images tended to be inconsistent with one another, sometimes the princess was a young child in a pink sundress, others she was a full-grown woman, her face one of passivity and grace. Sometimes she'd have blonde hair, sometimes russet and others brown, but always he knew she was his same princess. When he saw her in those sleeping moments, his heart pounded like a drum within his chest as he regaled her with a reverence that constituted one of a divine nature. At a point in his youth, he had believed he'd fallen in love with her, enamored as he'd never been before to this figure from his fictional imaginings. And as he'd progressed through life, he slowly came to realize that was all it was…fictional, the fruit of an overactive mind, one not content with their lot in life and seeking a reason to strive for more. He could not sustain himself on merely dreams, so with reluctance he allowed the images to fade, the scenes to become blurred, although they couldn't help but linger somewhere in the hidden depths of his mind, ready and waiting to be pulled to the forefront whenever his thoughts so much as probed them.

And so, with a sigh of forlorn longing, Link continued his life as a blacksmith's apprentice in the small village of Heron Falls in the Lanayru province. And… as with many of his past adventures, this one began on his birthday. But he was not to know that…

"Link! There you are!"

Link angled his head upwards and had to strain against the glaring sun to spot the boy on the ledge above. He waved and shielded his eyes. "Leaf! How goes!"

From his position on the ledge, Leaf crossed his arms, a frown in place. "Hiding again? And in the same spot too, very uncreative of you. I can never fathom why on all days you'd want to be missing for your birthday. Is the special treatment not enough for you? Do we have to worship you as well?"

Link scrutinized their location, Heron lake, in a little cleft of brambles and rocks near the shore, peaceful and somewhat remote. It was not surprising that he would find solace in this place. He was just the person to appreciate the joys of solitude.

Link scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. I just…don't like all the hype and noise."

"Well," said Leaf, spreading his hands in a 'what can you do' manner. "Can't help with that. Everybody seems to think that this year is extra special for some reason. How old are you now anyways? Twelve? Ten?"

Scowling, Link bent down and grasped a handful of pebbles. Then he launched them one by one in quick succession at Leaf. "Seventeen! I'm seventeen you dolt!"

Leaf huddled behind his arms, failing at deflecting the blows. "Fine, fine! Cut it out!" He lowered his arms warily as the onslaught died out and then thrust his hands in his pockets and scuffed his shoe. "Farore, you don't have to get all emotional about it. Psycho."

Link laughed then looked at Leaf, mildly curious. "Where's Vrel anyways. He can't have left you to find me alone?"

Link became increasingly wary as Leaf's grin suddenly took on a sinister air. "Oh…he's around. Somewhere, you know."

His confusion mounted, but then he heard the slight rustling of the brush behind him. Before he could call out, another boy, bigger and gruffer than either him or Leaf, leapt at him. Link attempted to dodge, but was pulled into the larger boy's strong embrace, arms locked behind his back.

He wrestled and struggled futilely. "Vrel! What are you doing?" He grunted as he swept Vrel's feet from underneath him and they both fell, Vrel's grip loosening at the shock. Escape was close, but at the last second, Leaf had vaulted over the ledge and joined the melee. Now all three boys wrangled with each other, a highly unfair situation as rather than a free-for-all, Link had to fight off two opponents set on taking him down.

"Just-" Vrel moaned as Link's elbow met his jaw and grappled him to the ground. "An early gift. Happy birthday!"

Link saw that they were slowly inching closer and closer to the lake's edge and his eyes widened in trepidation. "No, Guys. Guys, no!"

Leaf laughed while taking ahold of Link's flailing arms. No matter how hard Link struggled, the advantage eluded him, and more and more he was being pushed towards the lake. Its rippling waters awaited him, deceitfully inviting and on another day he'd have willingly gone for a swim. But as it stood, today was his birthday, the big one-seven, and he had no compulsions to wet himself and sidle up to all the slimy wonders within its bowels on such a momentous day.

Link cast them a hateful glare, realizing there was no way out of it. "This is cruelty."

"Not as cruel as you were for our seventeenths," retorted Vrel. Then they both shoved Link into the water.

A shear drop no more than three feet from the shoreline ascertained that Link would be fully immersed and just brushing on the ends of swaying seaweed. He kicked his legs, propelling himself upwards and spluttered as he surfaced. He made certain that his friends knew how unhappy he was by the glower he sent them.

He plowed his arms, swaying them back and forth in the water, all the while seething at Leaf's and Vrel's howling forms, bent over and grasping their stomachs. They looked like a pair of clowns, laughing until their eyes watered, faces turning red and puffed. Leaf noticed Link's expression suddenly change to a mischievous smirk and tapped Vrel to look up. All at once they were doused in a torrent of water, causing them to immediately sober.

"Link!" cried Leaf in dismay.

Link had already paddled to the bank and was hauling himself out of the water, prepared for the mad dash that would follow.

"Get him! Don't let him get away!" shot Vrel, as they both ambled after him, leaving a splotchy wet trail in their wake.

Link laughed and made haste to the village.

Heron falls was hustling with activity, banners were being spread, in the square multiple tables had been lined up, connected at the ends to form one long one, long enough to fit their entire population. The smell of stew and the aroma of cake flitted about his senses, teasing him with what was to come. Link paid brief heed to all of that as he ran, dodging the set up crew and launching over the tables.

An older man shouted at him as he nearly toppled over his ladder. The women smiled and called to him as he rushed past the cooking area, and he slowed only slightly to inhale the divine aroma before hastening on as Vrel's and Leaf's pursuing forms drew nearer. The young girls shrieked as he trampled a good portion of the flowers they'd been weaving into their decorations, then shrieked some more as another bunch was trampled by Vrel and Leaf.

The chase ended in a wrestling match as Vrel and Leaf finally put their minds together and cornered him in an admirable strategic movement. No one paid them any heed as the boys scuffled, whereas any other day they might have been lightly scolded or put to work for dallying.

It was a party all for him, the biggest one he'd receive in his life, staging his most important year, as he was now old enough to be considered an adult.

The festivities didn't start until late afternoon. It was full of games and fun. One such popular game was 'catch the cucco', which the younger boys and girls played eagerly. Link sat and watched with Vrel and Leaf, goading the youngsters from the sidelines, and then leaping in the air and cheering as a young boy named Nova caught the cucco and was declared winner. He did participate in the sparring matches though. As the apprentice to the local blacksmith, he'd worked with all sorts of different metals and materials, shaping them and forging them into whatever was required at the time. Among them was the occasional sword, commissioned by some noteworthy noble or an upper middleclass man. Handling one was as if second nature to him, and he easily dominated all the young boys and girls who'd participated. Then came the adult matches, men and women of middle age and brimming with experience, although fewer partook in that challenge, as for many their sword skills had dwindled as they'd become more singularly focused on their professions. That event had been brilliant to witness, and the champion, unsurprisingly, was their resident swordmistress Valera. She spun her sword elegantly, and took a gracious bow, to which applause was met with shear exuberance.

Late evening saw them around the adjoined tables, sagging with all sorts of dishes and fruits. There was the best soup made from fine pumpkins imported all the way from Ordon province, stews and roasted potatoes, apple pies, and many other delights.

Link was practically inhaling his fish stew when Vrel nudged his shoulder, jostling him and causing a few droplets to escape his bowl.

"Adra's been eyeing you," he whispered lowly, and far too gleefully.

Link swallowed his mouthful. "Really!" He swerved his eyes along the table on both sides and came to rest on another of his dear friends, although he suspected Adra wouldn't be opposed to moving their relationship along a bit, but for some reason something always held him back. Adra was a nice girl, and very pretty to look at, but he could see her as no more than a close and dear friend.

As their eyes met, Adra hastily looked away, her attention drawn by another girl, Marle, who chattered with her excitedly.

"She looked away. That means she's being shy. Girls are only shy if they like you," explained Vrel, nudging him playfully.

Link shrugged. "She is a friend."

"No, I mean like really _really_ likes you. She wasn't like that before was she? We're not little kids anymore. We've grown up, man. Obviously she no longer see's you as just a friend."

Wrinkling his nose, Link tried to consider it. It was just…just unfathomable. Being in a close relationship to any woman other than…

He blinked. Where had that come from? Shaking his head to rid himself of the sudden images and the heavy feeling weighing on him, he turned back to Vrel. "I don't think she likes me _that_ way." But insisting did not even faze the broader boy.

"Have you seen her and the way she's been acting around you all of a sudden within the past, oh I don't know, five months? It's the most painfully obvious thing in the world. Everybody's waiting for you two to get together. But you, you must be the most oblivious person in the entire village. It's almost painful to watch. Right Leaf?"

Leaf, who had remained abnormally silent throughout, shifted in his seat and averted his gaze. "Umm, yeah…sure."

Vrel slapped the table. "See! See!"

Link flashed a concerned look at Leaf, who appeared to be sinking into his chair, then at the relentless Vrel. "Actually…I…"

He hadn't the chance to finish as suddenly a chorus of cheers erupted as the cake was brought out. Link, grateful for the distraction as he hadn't actually figured out what he'd been going to say, rose from his seat as the cake was placed directly in front of him. As they all indulged in the desert, Link having received the largest portion, as was his right for the occasion, he meticulously steered clear of any conversation pertaining to their female friend. He just…didn't want to talk about it.

As twilight started to descend on them, the lanterns were lit and everyone relocated to the bridge. It's width almost as big as it's length, it was the stage for many of their celebrations, mostly though for the celebration of the golden goddesses who had created Hyrule and gave them life. But this was the first time it would be used for his birthday, and Link was jumping in giddiness. He couldn't help it, really.

At one end a small podium had been erected, with barrels and instruments. At the foot of the podium there was another barrel. He was practically shoved towards this one. He sat on it with nervous trepidation, feeling all eyes on him. Then the blacksmith, Roark, his stand in father, stepped forward, hands concealed behind his back.

Roark smiled at him and the clamor suddenly died down.

"Link…as you have now reached the age of manhood, an age where choices are made, hearts are broken, and virtue is scarce…"

At this a wave of laughter erupted from the adults, while the children looked on clueless. Link flushed red and ignored the obscene gestures that Vrel and Leaf were making. He also noticed from the corner of his eyes Adra glowing a bright red as she clasped both hands to her cheeks, but set to ignore that too.

Roark coughed, forcing the smile from his face. "Anyways. Since you are now at the point of manhood, you shall receive…"

Two heavy-set men had taken out their goron-crafted bongos and started a drumroll.

Roark's eyes twinkled and he swept his hands out in front of him. The drumroll abruptly stopped and the villagers cheered loudly at the items held in Roark's hands, a shiny needle and a pair of blue metal loop earrings.

Link gulped audibly, but determination ruled his mind, forcing him to steel himself. The children all began to chant 'Piercing! Piercing! Piercing!', and one look at Vrel and Leaf had them flashing their earlobes where a similar pair of metal loops adorned them.

Vrel shrugged. 'We had ours done too,' he lipped, as his voice wouldn't carry over the tumult of sound.

Frowning, he held still, posture rigid, as Roark approached with the dangerously sharp object. It couldn't be all that bad. Everyone got their ears pierced eventually, and some even chose to add more than just that single required set. He just hoped he didn't cry. Goddesses, that would be the ultimate form of humiliation. One of the boys back a few years ago had. Peter. He'd put up such a fuss by the end of it, and as punishment he was teased constantly for his weak display, even up until now at least once a week someone would make a half-hearted barb at him that would set him blushing in deep shame.

He stared forward as the needle came closer and felt as the point tapped his earlobe. He grit his teeth, anticipating the pain. Roark smiled at him, confidently. "It won't take a second. Just a short pinch. There might be some blood, but I wouldn't worry too much about that."

"Just get on with it," Link hissed through clenched teeth. He hadn't thought something so small could elicit this much terror out of him, although, it probably wasn't helped that the giant audience added a sort of stress to the ritual that made it positively unbearable.

Roark pat his shoulder then grasped his ear. Link shook as he felt the needle drive a hole right through, and was pulled out, quickly replaced by the earring. He exhaled slowly. One down. And then the next ear was pierced and it was done, amidst wild cheering.

Lily, the lady in charge of the apothecary, dabbed some disinfectant around both holes then handed him a bottle. "Keep applying it twice a day, every day for the next two weeks or until it heals. You did fine, Link."

As Lily stepped away, Vrel and Leaf yanked him to his feet and back-slapped him.

"Oi Link, all grown and manly now. Makes me so proud!" said Vrel, squeezing the life out of him.

"Vrel!" Link gasped, wriggling in discomfort.

Leaf laughed. "Ease up, will you. Let the poor boy stand on his own two feet, now that he's capable of it."

Vrel sniffled. "You're right," he set Link down, and Link staggered a bit, filling up his lungs with bountiful blessed air.

Music started up, a fast ditty in which drums, wind, and strings played in a jaunty partnership. People converged in the middle of the bridge to dance and the bridge practically vibrated with all the stomping and twirling, joyous laughter rent the air.

Vrel smiled eagerly and splayed his arms around Link's and Leaf's shoulders. "Well what are we waiting for! It's your party Link, join in!" He tugged them in to join the men's circle, hands connected in a chain surrounding the women's circle.

Link laughed and rapidly became dizzy. Every so often the circles would stop and break then the men and women would dance and twirl with each other before the circles formed again and the dance would continue.

He danced through five more songs before he was called on again. Mothers had long taken the young ones to bed and the alcohol had been brought out with full zeal. Pink-faced men and women toasted him as he was led up once again to the podium.

"Play, Link, play!" one woman called out.

"Do a little tune, will you!" another one shouted.

"Come on Link!"

Link stuttered bashfully and was offered a violin. It wasn't his own, but a borrowed one would suffice. He looked at it and at length, sighed and accepted – to even more cheering.

Tucking the curve of the lower bout where lay the chinrest under his chin, he positioned his fingers and brought up the bow, already rifling through a list of tunes he could play. Having made his choice he started at a slow first few notes. Then the pace increased and suddenly erupted into a fast riverdance, his arm and wrist flying back and forth, the fingers of his left hand dancing over the strings fluidly. The other musicians picked up the tune and began to play the filler parts, leaving him with the melody. Soon feet were stamping and people were dancing once more.

Link smiled and observed from the superior height of the podium, all the while playing flawlessly. He had to concentrate near the end as the last few notes drew more speed and then finally he finished with one long clear note.

The villagers applauded and cheered, and he was led down, relieved of the violin and offered a refreshing drink from Vrel.

He chugged it down, and immediately spat half of it back out. "By Din, what did you give me?"

Vrel smiled. "Ale. Your first time trying it, right? Do you like it?"

He shook his head vehemently. "It's horrible."

Vrel laughed, and no matter that Link determined at first taste that he didn't like the brew at all, he couldn't stop himself from drinking glass after glass whenever anyone offered any to him.

Soon he was stumbling all over the place, his head filled with light and fuzzy feelings. He laughed a lot too, and at some points the world seemed to tilt funnily, but he did well in the dances, or at least better than most. By now over half the people were drunk or bordering on it. Link never imagined inebriation would feel so…so…

"Link."

His head snapped up, his blurred vision seeking…

"Zelda?" he said, but it must have come out as a blah, because Adra merely grasped his hands and giggled.

"Dance with me?"

Somehow disappointed, although he couldn't fathom why, he smiled and assented, seeing as how he had little will to resist anyways.

Adra pulled him into the middle of the floor as the next ditty started. From somewhere far away he thought he heard Vrel shout out 'Way to go, Link!', but he wasn't quite sure. It was soon forgotten anyways as Adra positioned his hands appropriately and he instinctively led her into a dance. They spun and jumped, all the while laughing with delight. Yet with each spin and with each jump, Link grew more and more pressured, as if a weight was gradually settling on his shoulders.

It was a relief when the dance finally ended, but before he could sit down and rest for a bit, Adra had pulled him with her across the bridge and onto firm soil. In the thick trees of the surrounding forest, the light from the lanterns didn't reach far and only remained small pinpricks in the distance. With the darkness, some of that pressure was alleviated, but a grand portion of it still remained.

Adra stopped them in a glade and beamed widely at him. Link halted beside her, feeling awfully malleable for some reason. He didn't think he'd be able to put up a fight if she decided to dunk him in the lake right now.

"Aren't the stars magnificent tonight?"

He registered the conversation starter as romance talk and mentally groaned. Curiously, it bothered him immensely.

He blinked slowly, as suddenly the world began to spin, and when next he opened his eyes he was startled to see her standing directly in front of him, peering at him intensely. She reached a hand and gently fingered his pointed ears.

"Did it hurt?" Adra was only sixteen and still had over half a year before the village threw an equally massive celebration for her seventeenth birthday. Her ears were round and free of any metals hanging from them.

Link gulped and quickly shook his head, regretting that action at once as the pressure increased. "Not really. A short…pinch…is all."

The words came to him slowly and were somewhat slurred. But Adra didn't seem to mind as she smiled at him. As the miller's daughter her family was one of the wealthiest in the village, and thusly her clothes and dresses were of a better quality than most the other young girls, more flattering too. When usually garbed in white trousers and cream shirt with a vivid green overcoat and sash, right now she donned a lovely yellow dress than matched her pale yellow hair, let loose for the occasion.

In a moment of fogginess, Link grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and brushing his cheek against her hair. Soft and golden, scent of roses and lushwood…

"I was going to ask you subtly for a hug, but if you're so insistent I don't mind," said Adra, hugging him back. "We haven't done this in a while, not since we were kids." She sighed and then asked quietly, "Do you love me, Link?"

Her question went far over his head, as he couldn't quite grasp what she was saying.

Adra huffed in annoyance. "Lightweight. You're practically a redead when you're drunk, aren't you?" But smiled indulgently then asked. "Do you ever think of leaving Heron falls?"

Link inhaled, immersing himself in the feeling of her. This time her question successfully filtered through the conscious portions of his brain. "Why?"

Adra shifted in his arms. "Heron falls is nice and all, but I want to look at my options. I want to see other places, don't you?"

Link shrugged. "Sometimes. Mostly I'm happy where I am." That was a lie. He couldn't stand being stationary. Open fields called to him, cities and places he'd never been beckoned him by name, the longing for travel suppressed for as long as he could remember.

Adra pulled away fully and to Link's blurred vision he saw her hair long in golden waves, her eyes a shimmering blue.

"Well, I think it's about time we got out for a while. We could roam a bit, go to Kakariko village and death mountain to see the gorons. Or Lake Hylia, it's supposed to be quite stunning in the summer time. I know! Let's go to Castle Town, Link! Oh, I've always wanted to see it! And we might even see the regent! The ruler of all of Hyrule!"

"Regent?" he muttered tiredly, "prin…cess?"

Adra took a good look at him and frowned, her short locks of white-blonde hair floating in the breeze. "Princess? What are you on about?"

Link's head drooped, his tongue becoming thick and unusable. Suddenly the world seemed to convulse around him, a dizzying sensation hit him, making his stomach surge and his head pound. Everything attacked him at once, raining down on him like one enormous flood of water. The pressure! It was unbearable!  
"Argh!" He cried and stumbled away, clutching his head in agony.

Anra looked spooked and hesitantly reached towards him. "Link? Link, what is it? What's wrong?"

Link pulled at his hair, panting harshly. Another wave of pressure and pain coalesced over him and he was brought to his knees, curling into a ball and then arching his back, his head snapping upwards, eyes squeezed tight.

"GYAAAAARGH!"

Link howled in lament to the heavens. He curled into himself, wracked with the most intense pain he'd ever experienced. He wanted it to stop, he prayed for it to stop! It pounded at his skull, his brain a blazing mass of dendrites firing at a rapid pace, images rushing in torrents through his mind's eye. Emotions: pain, torment, despair, fear, agony, hope, peace, love, then the most miserable feeling of ultimate sorrow, consumed him.

He panted, unable to catch his breath.

Adra rushed back to the bridge in a panic. "Someone, help!"

"ARRRGH!"

His head was being bashed open, again and again. Hundreds of swords and knifes pierced him all at once. His vision spotted, then blackened. He passed out just as the pounding of footsteps heralded the arrival of help.

One lingering image pursued him as tears streaked down his face.

* * *

He was floating in a realm of darkness, the only sound a single drip of water. Peace flowed through him, a sense of calm contentedness. A figure suddenly manifested in the distance, glowing and wrapped in a consuming cloak. He stretched his arm out, suddenly desperate to reach them. The figure turned, head trailed on him before it faced forward, and the figure began to walk away.

No…No!

Come back!

* * *

"ZELDA!"

He shot up, blankets falling all over him in a puddle, hand still reaching for something he could not grasp. Slowly, realization settled over him and he sighed a long breath, hand flopping to his lap. He stared unseeingly downwards, and unintentionally his eyes filled up with tears.

He heard the thudding of rushing footsteps and quickly swiped his eyes, erasing all signs of his discomfiture.

The door burst open and Roark appeared. "Link, my boy! Are you alright?"

Link looked up at his current father figure lazily, noting his haggard appearance and rushed breathing. Their lack of blood relationship was obvious in their features, while Roark was tall and broad, Link was short and lithe, Roark had vivid red hair and a shadow around his cheeks and chin, while Link's own was dirty blonde and no matter how patiently he'd waited facial hair had yet to take root.

Roark pulled up a chair and gave Link that glinting eye, the one that demanded an explanation and he wanted one right now. "Link," he said in that same demanding tone, "what happened? What was that sudden episode? Was it the drink?"

Link scoffed and looked away. "You know it wasn't."

Roark gazed at him piercingly and rubbed his chin. "Nay, it wasn't. Drink doesn't cause one to dissolve into fits of pain…sounded like you were being tortured back there."

Mentally he chaffed. _I was_.

"Anyways," continued Roark, letting it go for now, "I'll go get you some soup, and then tell everyone you're alright. Gave them quite the scare. Had to end the party earlier than planned. Most of us thought you were being attacked by one of those beasts, then we were all confused when Adra said it was just you. Some fools say it's a bit ominous. You suddenly collapsing, especially since it happened on your birthday."

"At the exact hour of my birth," Link muttered silently under his breath.

"The same hour of which you were born, so it seems," said Roark loudly, and Link flinched at the impending pain. His head was killing him.

Roark noted his discomfort and went to get him the soup. He handed the warm bowl to Link on his return and Link ate it slowly, appreciating the menial task and the repetitive motions. There was a lot on his mind right now, too much to focus on strictly anything at a time.

"Feeling better?" asked Roark, and although he didn't quite cut the fatherly figure, his efforts were good-willed and hearty enough.

Link nodded in affirmation and sipped some more of his soup.

"Should I get Adra then? She's been worrying herself sick over you, thinks it's somehow her fault. Poor girl," Roark said, scratching the back of his neck. And then as if it were his duty, he added with a subtle hint. "She really does care for you though."

Link's faltered and nearly lost his grip on the spoon. He slammed it into his bowl. "No!"

Roark narrowed his eyes. "Pardon my hearing? I don't like that sudden tone you have."

Link realized his mistake and said more lightly. "No, it's fine. I'm fine. I just…just…want to be alone for a while."

Roark's eye's softened as he patted Link comfortingly on the back. "You've been through a lot these past few days. I understand how it wouldn't look good to be appear weak in front of someone who matters to you."

He frowned. Was Roark suggesting he was embarrassed?

Pushing himself up, a few bones creaking, Roark walked out of the room. "Rest for a bit. I gave you yesterday off because you were out of it, and the day before because it was your birthday. But today's the last day I'm giving you. By tomorrow you'll be put to work whether you're well or not."

A twitch of the lips and Link hastily forced it down. "Yes, sir."

"Good." The door closed all the way and Link heaved a long hard sigh.

He kept his mind carefully blank as he finished off his soup and set the bowl aside. Gingerly turning his hand over he noted the triforce mark on the back. He'd carefully kept it concealed as he'd eaten, facing it away from Roark, but he'd need a pair of gloves, and soon. He remembered the last time he'd flaunted the golden triangle around without heed and the repercussions that entailed. He would not be so foolish again, at least not until he was well stocked and supplied and up to par with his previous selves. He felt out of shape, it was a wonder he'd done so well in the sparing matches.

Flopping down on the bed, he drew up the blankets and settled in for a long nap. He was exhausted beyond belief, having all of his memories of his previous lives returned to him all at once had taken its toll, and he was left with the familiar feeling of misplacement. His current mindset battled to assimilate with all his others into one masterful one, but it wouldn't happen in a day. Different faces, people he once knew, friends and enemies, all converged and for a moment it was difficult to differentiate between who belonged to which lifetime, which Link knew who and what information. So while the battle waged on, he would procure the most amount of rest possible in his situation. By Nayru, this would have been immensely easier had he lived on his own and could dwell on his thoughts without any interference.

Eventually, exhaustion took over and he was sound asleep.

* * *

He awoke hours later and by then the day had gone and night had fallen, shadowing his room in a cloak of blackness. Link's eyes flashed open and he eased off the bed. He pulled on his boots, all the while straining an ear to listen to Roark's heavy snoring. Slowly, he slid the window open and crept out into the night.

The village was silent and serene. A peaceful little waytown that nobody really paid any attention to, and Link pondered on the strategic little methods the Goddesses used to see him safe until grown to adulthood. In an unremarkable little village it was almost ascertained that he'd have a calm and easy childhood. Only that one time had he been reared in Castle Town itself, as the ward of one of the guards. It was simple to deduce that it was because at that time monsters abound in massive hoards all over the country, and Castle Town had been the safest place to be.

Link skimmed around the perimeter of the village, enclosed on two sides by tall cliff walls, a small means of defense, it offered only two exits, one to the woods, and the other to a broad road where travelers and merchants passed. As much as he desired to follow the road and encounter Hyrule's large open fields, he drifted from that path and instead entered the forest.

It would only be for a short while, to gauge how much he needed to work on, but he was fairly confident. Work in the forge had already strengthened his upper body, but he could imagine his footwork and reflexes needed a bit of fine-tuning. As he walked he searched the brambles until he found a decent sizeable stick, relatively straight and sturdy. He swiped the air a few times, and once he arrived at a glade far enough away from the village he set about performing his old training exercises.

He first determined his shoddiness at handling a weapon, swinging the piece of wood in vertical, horizontal and diagonal strikes, and as familiarity flowed through him and his body began picking up on lessons long ago learned, he began twirling it in intricate arrays.

He conjured up an imaginary foe and brought his 'sword' to bear. The form took the shape of a large piggish creature, a middle ranked enemy called a moblin. He attacked with ease, incorporating maneuvers from his former lifetimes and slowly regaining his technique. The imaginary moblin swiped its sword at him. Link quickly ducked and rolled, pulling up in an upward slash. The moblin fell forward, its back sliced open and it poofed out of existence.

Link continued battling invisible foes, setting himself up against hordes at a time, defending against multiple enemies at once until he broke out into a sweat. It all ended when, in a frenzied slash, he tripped over a root and collided with the ground. He lay there gazing up into the canopy, his breaths coming in gasps. His muscles burned ferociously, a welcoming feeling that gave him renewed vigor.

At length, he sat up, crossing his legs he placed the wood across his lap. He mentally reviewed his mock fight and assessed his skill level. There was much to be done, as was expected. His arms moved too fast for his feet, he kept losing balance and needed to work on conserving his momentum for the next attack rather than drawing back. Above all what desired the most improvement was his abysmal stamina. He hadn't been at it for more than half an hour and that annoyed him. He recalled weeks and weeks of running around Hyrule, full days spent fighting gruesome monsters.

That and his level of alertness, he thought aptly as he at once swivelled his gaze over to meet the bright green eyes of his watcher.

He swiftly pulled himself to his feet, stumbling as his legs ached in protest. "Adra, what are you doing here?"

Adra's eyes rounded even wider than they'd already been. Hesitantly, she came forward out of the brush, her expression a mixture of disbelief and wonder. "I came to see how you were doing. I saw you leaving your house and followed. How did you do that? All those moves with that stick. You didn't fight like that in the sparring matches."

Link sighed, annoyed that she had to be so nosy, and doubly annoyed that he hadn't caught her following him. "You should get back, Adra. The woods are not safe at night."

Adra's forehead creased in a frown, her lips thinning. "And what are you doing out here, may I ask? It's just as dangerous for you. If Roark knew you sneaked out in the night to practice your sword waving he'd be furious!"

"Adra, keep it down!" Link urged, ears pricking at the strident howl of a wolfos in the distance.

Adra paled at the noise and looked abashed and fisted her hands. "You're right. I'm sorry."

He waved off her apology and flung the stick somewhere in the brush. "Let's just go back, alright?"

She nodded. "Alright."

They walked in silence, all the while Link kept his eyes and ears on guard for anything dangerous. The forest keese fluttered their wings in their perches high in the trees and occasionally swooped down to hunt, but largely kept to themselves. He steered them clear of a well-known patch of deku babas, walking along a deer path leading towards the river. However, the peace didn't last as Adra piped up.

"Link, what happened the other night, on your birthday?"

Link didn't directly meet her eyes as he adopted an air of trivial nonchalance. He diverted her question with one of his own. "What are you doing up at night anyways?"

Adra huffed in irritation. "I told you, I was worried about you. Now, what happened? You were crying out in pain and at first I thought it was that cut from your match against Keegan, but then you started to…I don't know, glow. A golden light surrounded you and then faded. The only thing left was…"

His footsteps faltered and heart stuttered all at once. "Yes?" he pressed. Link's breath had caught, fearfully.

Adra stopped suddenly, looking away. Link stopped with her, needing to know if she had seen it. She abruptly shot her hand out and yanked at his. Link tried to pull away, but the damage had been done. In the moonlight the clear outline of a golden triangle shone visible on his left hand. He realized that her eyes hadn't even moved towards the mark and that they'd been watching his face the entire time. She hadn't needed to see it to know that it was there. And if she knew where to look for it, that meant that the other night she'd seen it too.

He slapped her hand away and covered the mark. She scowled. "Don't be absurd Link. For Farore's sake, I've already seen it. It glowed too and I had to cover it up because it looked like something fishy or important."

"You can't tell anybody," hissed Link, vehemently.

Adra appeared startled. "I-I wasn't going to." She murmured. "Those triangles…That's the triforce isn't it? The mark of the Goddesses. But what does it mean, Link?"

Things were quickly spiralling into turmoil and he had to stop her from inquiring further. "It means nothing." He clenched his jaw and calmed himself down. "You can't say a word about this to anyone."

"Roark has a right to know," she pressed, glaring up at him.

Link sighed, he was going about this all wrong. Forcing his pounding heart to still, he gingerly took one of Adra's hands in both of his and gazed at her eyes imploringly. "Please. No one can know."

Adra's fierce eyes met his and softened. She squeezed his hand. "Only because it's so important. I won't tell." She smiled then and stepped forward, closing the space between them. "It will be our little secret."

Link smiled back but halfheartedly. He shifted to allow him more room. "Thank you."

"I know the village means a lot to you, and you wouldn't want anything bad to happen. If that really is the mark of the Goddesses…"

Link almost groaned and pulled her along through the trees. "Come on. It's late."

At the northern end of the village there was a river that ran all the way from Zora's domain to Heron falls, creating the great cascade that it was renowned for. The water swelled and formed Heron Lake before it continued its journey southwards funnelling into another river and flowing onwards to Lake Hylia. On the southern river was the watermill and a cottage nearby that housed the miller and his family.

Link escorted Adra to her doorstep and she glanced back as him as she made to enter. Link turned to quickly walk away, but her hopeful voice called him to a halt.

"Link."

Long bred courtesy forced him to stop and hear what she had to say. He twisted his head to look over his shoulder, seeing her hovering in the threshold, but said nothing. This resembled too much like a romantic parting for his conscious.

"Link," she said, and something in his demeanor must have enlightened her to his unease as she merely stepped into the house and eased the door closed. "Goodnight." Then it clicked shut and he was left alone.

He snuck back in the window of his own house, noting that there hadn't even been a pause in the rhythm of Roark's snoring. Link lay in his bed, mind engaged in a furious number of activities, too awake to settle down as of yet. He would sort it out as he always did. One day at a time. He'd live through tomorrow and plan the next day, doing this the load on his mind could be broken down into simpler parts. There was much to do, but he couldn't do it all at once. He had to plan.

* * *

Vrel came to visit him in the forge the next morning. Link was shirtless, sweat beading down his brow, and marking trails between his shoulder blades and along his back. Heat blasted in his face and he pounded the metal into shape, his left hand holding the hammer with a firm grip, newly acquired fingerless gloves creating a layer between wood and skin.

"What is it, Vrel? Can't you see I'm busy?" he said curtly, but Vrel was wise to the methods of deterrence. He'd annoyed more people than just Link and Link's attempts to drive him away had no effect.

Rather, he watched in the doorway where the breeze cooled him from the harsh glower of the forge. The cloth door was pulled aside and hooked around a jutting prod to allow air circulation, but no matter, the sun beat hot and the forge was as boiling as ever. Why Link had been reduced to this profession he couldn't imagine. It was like trekking a full day through the sands of the Gerudo desert while bundled up for winter.

Roark had gone ahead to deliver some horseshoes, so the forge was his for the day.

Vrel smiled playfully. "Had fun the other night?"

Link looked thoughtful, all the while still hammering away. "What other night?" He feigned innocence. Surely he hadn't witnessed his little escapade in the woods and leaving them with Adra. That would have surely raised suspicion, and not a bit of scandal either.

But Vrel only chuckled wryly. "Your birthday, you and Adra, dancing under the moonlight, and then running off to Farore knows where, ring any bells?"

Oh, he remembered. And it eluded him why Vrel insisted on pushing them together and didn't pursue the girl himself. After all, he agreed she was probably the best catch among their age group. So why did he insist…

"Did you kiss? Are you officially courting now?"

Link studied the mangled piece of glowing metal and used the tongs to douse it in a bucket of cool water. It was slowly beginning to take shape.

He sniffed. "You're beginning to sound like a woman in want for gossip. And no, nothing happened. We danced and then I blacked out. Doesn't everyone know? Shouldn't you be asking how I'm feeling, hmm? I was bedridden for two days, you know."

Vrel waved him off. "You're feeling fine. Listen, you're even bickering with me. Don't we make a marvellous pair of old house wives?"

Link sighed and continued with his work. "What are you really doing here? And why aren't you at work with your parents?"

At this Vrel simply grinned brightly, having ignored the question entirely. Vrel's antics tended to amuse him on the best of days, however, today he just didn't feel like it… he wasn't in the mood to indulge in his friend's silly games. He wanted to be alone.

"Come on Link," Vrel urged, lithely. "You can admit it to me at least, can't you? I'll even help you, I'll spell it out for you. You. Like. Her."

Link blinked and rounded a befuddled gaze at the other boy. "What?"

Vrel's smile only broadened. "Ahhh, your reaction say's differently. Let me respell that for you. You. _Love_. Her."

His heart beat fast as the full extent of the meaning of those words overwhelmed him, bringing up a series of familiar emotions. "Her? Who's her?"

"Adra, of course."

All at once those feelings turned and indignation befell him, marring his face in a dissatisfied frown. "What?"

A small scuffle sound came from beyond the doorway, a villager making their way down the street. Vrel quickly glanced outside then shifted his gaze back to Link's clearing portraying his disbelief. "You love her."

Link drew up sharply, annoyance slowly morphing into anger. "I don't." He turned back to the forge and continued hammering.

"You do, Link."

Why, why did he have to press the issue? He did not love anyone other than… A flash of deep blue eyes donning a lovely heart-shaped face breezed across his vision. He shivered and closed his eyes, hope and yearning allowing him to steady his heart and relax him. Languidly, he opened his eyes. She was out there, somewhere. And this time, he would not fail her.

He swept his eyes over the tarnished length of steel, not yet fully tempered, but admittedly it was beginning to look like what it was supposed to. Currently he was fashioning himself a sword. Later, when he had the rupees, he'd pay Roark back for it. Just…he had to have a weapon, he wasn't complete unless he had something to defend himself with. To defend others as well, he added as he recalled multiple times bringing up his sword in defense of the innocent.

His demeanor changed into one of cold determination. He'd also have to be prepared for when Ganondorf returned. If the King of Thieves did indeed regain his memories as Link and Zelda did, they had to know when and how much did he remember. Was it at the age of seventeen, like them, or in his later years, or, Goddesses forbid, in his younger years, granting him more time to ruminate and plan. Also did he recall absolutely everything, or only the most important events of their lifetimes?

In any case, it was Link's sworn duty to face him. That he was born again meant that a calamity would ensue, and he'd be the only one able to stop it before it consumed the world.

"Come on, Link. At least admit that you like her a little," said Vrel, bracing his hands behind his neck.

"No, I don't."

Vrel's blithe smile seemed to falter as if he was loosing confidence in his statement. "Link-"

What was the matter with him? It was not like him to be this persistent. Groaning in annoyance he slammed the hammer down. "Stop it, Vrel. I don't like her in the way that your implications demand that I do, and I definitely do not love her. Can't you see? You and everyone else may be pushing for it, but I assure you there will never be anything between Adra and me, we will never get together, we will never marry, and I will _never_ love her! I do not know what's gotten into you, but now that you've heard me I'd like you to stop…stop going on about this!"

From outside there came a feminine gasp and then a wavered inhalation of breath. Vrel dropped his hands and darted his gaze over to the other side of the doorway, wide and worried. Footsteps pounded onto the earth as someone sped away in a rush. Vrel appeared to be struggling whether to tear after the fleeing person or to stay and give Link a piece of his mind. He settled on sending a heat-filled look at Link that spoke of anger and disappointment. "You're heartless, Link. You know that?"

Link gazed unflinchingly at him, expressing no emotion, and Vrel snorted in disgust and ran after Adra. Leaf came in a moment later, worried and distraught.

"What happened? What did you say to Vrel?"

Link immediately pierced him with accusing eyes. "You knew about this?"

Leaf shifted uneasily then reluctantly nodded, casting furtive glances down the road in the direction Adra had fled. "Vrel was going to get you to tell him how you feel about Adra while she listened in, and in return she'd assist him in getting closer to Marle. But it appears things didn't go so well."

That was an understatement. Things had gone horrid. Vrel thought him a heartless bastard and Adra revealed herself to be too self-involved to accept the truths of his feelings. He refused to feel any guilt whatsoever. It was their own fault for scheming behind his back. They had no right to pressure him like this, neither Vrel, nor Roark, nor the rest of the village had any right. Just because they'd been childhood friends and were still close didn't mean anything had to happen between them.

Leaf appeared to be upset but at the same time he looked relieved as if a hope had rekindled inside of him.

Link sighed and gave his back to his friend. "You…Go to her, Leaf. Large as he is, Vrel doesn't have enough shoulder for her to cry on, and you know Adra. When she cries, she cries rivers. She'd going to require a back up."

That motivated Leaf to quickly rush out of the forge, flashing him an apologetic look, and dashing off. Link slowly relaxed his rigid shoulders, and rotated his neck, alleviating the tension in his muscles.

He looked at the scrap of metal that would become his sword and set it aside to work on later.

He sat heavily on a stool and leaned back on the wall, propping his head upwards. That little mess brought up painful memories. Faces of all the girls he'd associated with, all those who'd played major roles in his lives, emerged and he diligently went through them giving them each names. Sarah, Malon, Ilia, Mell, and now Adra, all who'd nearly passed the boundaries of friendship into the territory of lover, the only one who'd ever come close had been Mell…

He hated thinking about her. He hated dwelling on his last life and so suppressed the memories, but couldn't prevent the sorrow from reaching up and grasping at him.

He heaved himself up. The most important fact he knew was that the faster he caught up to his old selves, the faster he could leave, and the faster he could reunite with the one person who mattered.

_Zelda, wait for me. I'm coming for you._

* * *

**A/N: I know what you're all thinking, I alluded to it in the first chapter. What about Zelda? Has she been reborn? My answer...wait and see. **

**Hope you all enjoyed.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: ****Sorry about not answering any of your questions in regards to Zelda, but as I've said before, you'll find out within the next few chapters.**

**A special thanks to Generala, Death Waltz, eclair. belmont, Linkette, PianoPlayer1200, Nanaimobar, Nomnom11, Anon-Reader, Dellange, and Bloodspire for reviewing. Your words are much appreciated and inspire me to write more. ^.^**

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**Chapter 3 **

A wind swept over the lake, ruffling it's surface and creating small waves. Link stood at the edge of the beach, the toes of his shoes inches from the water. Bending down he sustained a crouched position and withdrew his stick, tapping one end against the water and distorting the image of himself reflecting back at him. He began a series of taps, doling on the water as a percussionist would a tune on their drums.

Tap. Tap.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Tap. Tap.

Tap.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

He repeated the same sequence of successions and pauses three times then waited, leaning his weight back on his heels. He gazed out over the cool clear water, glistening in the light of the sun. Over to his left a heron stalked the shallows, searching for unwary fish that drew near. From the opposite bank he spotted a keaton nosing along the shoreline. It peered up at him questioningly, as if curious to his behavior, then continued on into the brambles.

He glanced around anxiously. He'd completed his work at the forge early just so he could have the extra few hours of free time, but he was wary about being caught. Not that he was doing anything nefarious, just that unwanted questions would be raised, questions which he was unwilling to answer.

After a decent interval, in which he deduced nothing was going to happen, he started again with the tapping sequence and then set to wait, ever patient.

It happened in an instant. The water began rippling near the center of the lake as something rose up, a dark shadow appeared and shot towards him like an arrow. Standing, he tossed the stick away and from the lake a fish-being broke out causing an eruption of water as it vaulted into the air and somersaulted, neatly landing on the patch of sand before him, water lapping at flippered feet.

The zora eyed him inquisitively then spoke in a soothing voice like the rippling of a pond. "Who are you that you have knowledge of our hidden codes and messages?"

Link met the zora, gaze for gaze and answered. "An osprey in the sky, and a heron in the waters, but nothing fazes a minnow-"

"Like a pike in the reeds," the zora finished automatically. He considered Link then, a small measure of respect was granted as it came to him as to just who Link was. His conclusion only solidified as Link briefly flashed the golden triangle on the back of his left hand. "It's been over a hundred years since you've last arisen, hero."

It had been a simple task to summon a zora to him. Wherever there was a large body of water the aquatic race was bound to congregate, gathered in their own small communities in the deep depths. And as Heron Lake formed the connection to both Lake Hylia and Zora's Domain, zoras were guaranteed to be abound.

"A hundred years of well earned peace, then," said Link, and his voice became somber. "And now evil approaches once more. Tell me, who is the current ruler of the zoras?"

The zora moved from the shore and waded into deeper water where he was more comfortable. "Our Queen, the descendent of the great King Malgius, Queen Helerra. I admit, I am uncertain whether to be overjoyed at your presence or dismayed, for you being here heralds dark times for us all, and it is never ascertained that you will prevail."

"I've not failed before," said Link, in full confidence. He had eight lifetimes to back him up.

The Zora looked at him searchingly then conceded. "That you haven't. But at any rate, as always, we will give aid as the hero needs it."

Link nodded expecting no less. "Will you then take me to Zora's Domain?"

"Certainly."

Link approached the zora. Up to his thighs in lake water he nested his hands around the zora's proffered head tail. He clutched tightly to the scaly fin as the Zora suddenly dove. A murky swirl of blue and green met him as they submerged beneath the lake, rays filtering in as shafts of light casting the sun's glow through the clouded waters. As they drew further away from the shore the water beneath him became darker and darker until it was one mass of ominous blackness and he was unable to see the lakebed. Who knew what all lurked in their depths. He was no stranger to sea monsters himself, but it had always been a point of fear in his life, a fear that he'd been forced to set aside in light of duty and necessity. Link strived not to look downwards and noted how the surface convoluted as they approached the falls.

The zora surfaced and Link drew a gasping breath, sucking in the sweet air.

"Apologies. We zoras often forget about the short spans that hylians are able to hold their breaths."

"Well," said Link, clinging tightly to the tail as if wanting to strangle it. "It would be much appreciated if you didn't forget anymore. Need to breath occasionally, a necessity of life, you know."

"I shall take that into consideration," the zora replied.

"Yes. Thank you."

Link indicated when he was suitably ready and the zora dove then started up the waterfall. Link clenched his eyes and mouth closed as the falls pummeled him in its incessant gravitational drive. He felt remotely relieved as they reached the top and the Zora granted him a few minutes to catch his breath before continuing on upstream.

Link could only thank the Goddesses that he was born as a summer child. He mentally shivered at the thought of how unbearable the journey to Zoras Domain would have been if he'd had to contend with the frigid temperatures of winter. Death would have met him as he was consumed with shock and frostbite. If not his life, he would be sure to lose a few fingers and toes. The winter was harsh, and he would not have been able to delay reaching Zoras Domain. As it was, summer was far more pleasant.

His arrival at the Domain led to quite a bit of shock. Zoras basking on the rocks or swimming lazily in the pool looked up sharply and stared as his escort carried him to the throne room. He wasn't sure where hylians stood in their relationship to the zoras in this lifetime, but it had never deteriorated to hostile intentions against the other as various relationships had with the gerudos or gorons, so he was confident he was not being led into a sort of trap. Although, the way those zoras were eyeing him was quite unnerving.

He'd be on his toes, just in case. It wouldn't do to naively place his trust in a tribe that he'd once allied with, as alliances tended to change over the centuries.

Zoras Domain had changed very little over the interval between his previous and latest rebirth. If anything it had expanded to offer more solid ledges so that those who were not zoras could get around easier, without having to rely on the zoras' swimming expertise. The great waterfall that featured as the main entry to the throne room loomed high before them and Link watched as a pair of armored zoras came diving down.

His escort bobbed in the water for a bit, before speaking to him. "Would you rather take the stairs, hero? The journey upwards can be a tad overbearing to mere hylians. It would require you to hold your breath for three minutes at the least, I wager."

Link smirked. "You're forgetting…I've gone up this waterfall many times before, and on the backs of zoras who took less than half that time."

Bristling, the zora took his silent challenge to heart and without any preamble, shot up the waterfall. Link had barely a moment to take a breath before his face was full of water and he twisted his head away to direct most of the pressure aside.

At the top the zora swam into an offside shallow pool where the waters were still and Link could get his bearings. They waded onto the banks and without a word, but with a self-satisfied air about him, the zora stomped away. Link smirked and followed at a leisurely pace.

They hadn't quite reached the chamber when the zora motioned for him to halt.

"Wait here a moment. I shall announce to her majesty of your arrival and have the throne room cleared out." Then he rushed on ahead.

After a few minutes in which quite a number of zoras were being ushered out, all the while casting him mixed looks of interest or annoyance, his zora escort summoned him and he was led before the Queen Zora.

Queen Helerra was young, perhaps a few years his senior, and what struck him was not that she didn't resemble even remotely like her ancestor King Malgius, but that she was undeniably tall, a good three feet taller than himself actually, but then he was cursed indefinitely to remain short. It was the bane of his existence – of all of his existences - that he did not meet a high enough standard to be declared even average height. For a male his ego had taken a dire blow, although conditioning had hardened him to the effects over time.

Queen Helerra stood pacing before her throne, another Zora, who he could only assume was her personal advisor, was watching her keenly as if waiting for any remote signal that prefigured as to what she was thinking. Upon his entrance he caught her gaze at once and she all but beamed at him, a fervent enthusiasm that left him with a sense of eeriness.

"Great hero! We have eagerly awaited your arrival these past eleven decades and are overjoyed to have you among us once again," she gushed, stepping forward to grasp his hands and look them over for the triforce mark, grinning in satisfaction as the symbol twinkled back at her reassuringly. Link was speechless, caught in a mild form of shock. The only other zora he'd known to be this zealous had been Queen Ruto. It contrasted highly with the normally soft and docile demeanor that he was more accustomed to among the zora race.

The Queen looked him up and down, and ever so slowly her expression fell and her eyes crinkled with uncertainty. Leaning away she whispered to her advisor from the corner of her mouth. "You sure this is the hero? He's rather scrawny, I always pictured him to be…you know…a touch more on the brawn side, if you get what I'm saying."

The advisor shrugged helplessly. "You fantasize to your own tastes, my Queen. When reality hits, it is never as one expects."

Queen Helerra nodded, shaking Link's hand furiously. This time she didn't even bother to hush her words. "Too true, too true. Well met, hero…er…what was your name again. It eludes me how, but the hero's name always seems to detach itself from any and all historical records."

Affronted, Link snatched his hand away right as the Queen dropped it, debating whether to remain and endure or to leave and come back when the next heir assumed the throne. The problem with the later was that it might require decades before any change in power came about, and that was time he didn't have. He should have known to expect the random whacko from Ruto's line. Sighing in resignation, he replied solidly. "It's Link. And please, your majesty, I need-"

She flicked her hand, holding up a finger and abruptly cutting him off. "You're quite right. We're wasting time. The small talk can be reserved for later when evil is not upon us. A great quest awaits you, and by the grace of the zoras, and with the guidance of their Queen," to which, she indicated herself and the zora escort and advisor bowed reverently, "the hero shall prevail."

She then turned and waltzed away. "Come," she ordered without looking to see if he followed. "I know why you are here. I shall take you to the hero's chamber. Joran, you come along as well."

The advisor, so named Joran, indicated for Link to follow, but before Link did he nodded thankfully at his escort. "Thanks for the ride."

His escort quirked the arch over his eye where what would have been an eyebrow resided and nodded in returned. "Don't mention it. And especially not with that phrasing."

Link took a moment to splutter and gasp, face reddening with indignation, rankled at the implication. He took a threatening step forward, to which the escort took a mirrored step back, smiling teasingly. "Why you – that was – How dare -"

"Hero!"

His attention was drawn to Queen Zora and Joran, who were a ways ahead of him, embarking down a set of stairs. When he turned back, his infuriating escort had disappeared. Swam away as fast as his fishy limbs could take him, no doubt.

Grumbling and cursing, he pivoted harshly to follow the Queen. The flush on his cheeks only finally abated as they reached what Queen Helerra had designated as the hero's chamber. The pair of guards standing sentinel on either side of the great stone door hastily stepped away at the approach of their Queen.

She nodded her permission and the guards jabbed the butt end of their spears into a pair of openings on the lock mechanism. They tugged in opposite direction, causing the enormous lock to spin, tumblers grating, and then cracking along the center as a small indent revealed itself. The Queen then held up a coral pendant from around her neck, and, casting Link a wink, inserted it into the indent and made a cruel twist. Link and the other zoras flinched, although he wasn't sure why, he somehow perceived that act as rather destructive. At once the doors broke open, and the guards grasped the edges to widen them further, unearthing a round chamber.

Familiarity overwhelmed him as he stepped within, torches along the wall lit with blue fire on his entrance. His eyes darted to and fro, taking note of what was new and what was old. The Queen leaned against the stone archway, her arms crossed and smiling at his awe.

She waved her hand. "There you have it. Take your pick."

Link looked around and thought he would do just that.

It had occurred to him around four lifetimes ago that he should find a means of preserving the sacred artifacts he'd gathered on his journeys so that they would not be lost to time or decay. Also, so it wouldn't be such a hassle to have to relocate said items all over again, and he wouldn't constantly need to backtrack because there'd be some places he just couldn't reach on his own. Some of them had to be returned to their original locations, but many others, like his bomb bag, his magic pouches, and – oh yes! – his beloved hookshot, had been stored for safekeeping. Gingerly he held the weathered piece of metal, complete with its coil and spring…although, it wasn't really weathered. Actually it was rather shiny for a centuries old gadget. He turned it over in his hand utterly perplexed as he began to notice the various differences between this hookshot and the one that he recalled from long ago.

"Impressed? I had it commissioned from the goron blacksmiths all the way on Death Mountain. Would have taken an arm and a leg to pay for it, had I not told them it was for the chosen hero, I got a marvelous discount for that. The fools didn't even question why I'd requested three! You see, I just knew that the hero would arise within the next generation or two; the sudden increase of monsters around Hyrule is a rather good indicator of rising evil, and our priestess has been having distorted illusions about it for a time," the Zora Queen carried on exuberantly. "It has added length to it, it's faster, it can latch deeply into the wood without worry of loosening, and it can even penetrate stone. Why, there's even a small switch that when activated can release deadly shocks of electricity if you were to use it on an enemy. Ingenious, isn't it?"

Link gazed at it stunned. He mumbled something inaudible under his breath.

Queen Helerra cocked her head, rather pleased with herself. "Pardon? A little louder, if you please." She leaned forward, a smile on her face as she waited for some form of praise.

Link inhaled waveringly and reiterated. "Where is the original? What did you _do_ with it?"

The Queen laughed lightly, hand waving in a flitting motion. "That old scrap of metal?" She shrugged. "Threw it away, it was way outdated, its make has not been used since the hero of time's era, but you would know that, wouldn't you hero?" She winked salaciously, but Link was not amused.

He rounded on her, boiling in anger. "You got rid of it?! How could you do that? How can you tell me this like it was nothing?!"

The Queen suddenly became somber, eyes narrowed in displeasure. "Of course I did, you ungrateful little twat! It was old! Ancient, rather, and in major disrepair! As were your others items, actually, I've had most of them replaced too!"

Link hastily swiveled around and examined his gear in mute horror, touching each one, picking them up and looking them over, at once recognizing the new designs and altercations of this era's influence. He set the large hunk of metal that was meant to be the hylian shield down and slowly turned towards the glowering Queen. "How could you…how could you do that? You replaced everything?"

She tilted her head and pressed a long slender finger to her chin in thought. "Well…not absolutely everything. There was no way to mimic the magic in those gauntlets of yours, so those are still there. And then around twenty years ago the lens of truth all of the sudden disappeared, don't know how to explain that-"

"It's not like I go through your things! Why'd you have to meddle with mine?" shot Link.

"Meddling?" Queen Helerra snarled as she took a menacing step forward, hands fisting. The zora guards stiffened with fright, trying in vain to shrink into obscurity as their Queen was about to have a conniption. Joran shuffled forward but Queen Helerra cut him off before he could say anything.

"It is my duty to keep the hero's things in order so he can be prepared for whatever trials he is to face. It is not my fault if you couldn't take proper care of them. It was _my_ zoras who polished and oiled your little devices, not you and not the hylians."

Just outside the door, the guards backed up in fright, their spears quivering in their hands while Joran hovered nearby, hesitant to intercede. It was evident that they quite feared their Queen's wrath, and that they were used to her flipping every once and awhile. Somehow though, Joran mustered up his courage and inched forward.

"Please hero, her majesty's intentions were well-founded and pure. She simply wished to aid the future hero in whatever way she could," he said delicately, voice wavering, attempting to soothe over the situation.

Link took a moment to calm down. He took a good look at his arsenal, the devices shiny and new, and, he mused, looking as if they belonged in a display case. Nevertheless, he reluctantly admitted that perhaps the Zora Queen had a point. Hyrule wasn't getting any younger, and besides, the only major differences he could see were the fashion and designs, other than that they were relatively similar to his old things.

He set about gearing up, fastening the band with his magic pouches around his waist, his baldric over his shoulder and stuffing into them as many items as he thought he needed. Throwing knives were lined in hidden pockets along the baldric and he tugged on his upgraded zora armor to hide it. He shoved anything that looked as if it were of value in his pouches, decided to only wear the accessories when he actually left the village. Goddesses know how suspicious he'd look showing up donning gold and silver. They'd jump to accusations, believing him a thief and his reputation would quickly plummet.

Once finished, he nodded graciously to the Queen, indebted to her. It was by choice that the zoras had agreed to be the keepers of the hero's artifacts. King Malgius had relayed it was no problem since he continuously managed to save the world from impending peril, however, he never felt as if he could ever fully relay his appreciation to the zoras and so was ever thankful to them.

The Queen had simmered down as she'd watched him gather his items and was now smiling at him smugly. "All ready to go? You're not going to throw another fit because I personally autographed the collar of your zora armor are you?"

"You what!"

But she'd started out of the chamber, directing him to follow. "Consider it a token from the Zora Queen. Aren't you the lucky one to be in her supremeness's favor?"

He fumed silently as she and her advisor led him back up to the throne room where Joran quickly departed to call on Links escort to return him to the village.

Falling heavily on her throne, the Queen sighed dolefully. "I suppose then my part is done. Go now, hero. The world awaits for you to save it. Although it does seem a premature act, doesn't it? Ordinarily we'd be beneath ice by now, but lo, that hasn't happened. Curious, I say…"

Link halted before her, even seated, his head had to crane upwards to meet her black orbs, hardened in a steely gaze of concern. He spoke to her, a voice of warning. "Perhaps evil has yet to make its move. In any case, I implore you to be cautious, and for a time, do not trust any strangers, especially those who mean to trick you with the intent of goodwill."

Queen Helerra peered down at him, hard and unwavering. "I've already doubled the guard and watch. We aren't allowing any emissaries entrance and are sending zoran ambassadors to deal with any foreign affairs and interspecies alliances. If anything suspicious does arise, my people shall find a means to contact you."

Joran reappeared with the Zora from Heron Lake. Upon spotting Link the escort formed a wry grin. Link narrowed his eyes, his earlier annoyance at the fish-being returning full force. Stiffly he bowed one last time to the Queen – she may not have the most amiable of natures but his respect was still due – and left with his escort. He hesitated as they reached the waterfall.

"Ready to ride me, oh great hero?"

Link scowled and instead of replying, pulled up his mouth covering then turned and jumped off the ledge. Air wooshed past his face and his eyes teared. His arms spread and then came together in a neat dive and he pierced the bottom like an arrow, bubbles swirling around him. He'd worn the zora armor for this very reason and wasn't fazed as he swam for a while just beneath the surface, his mask filtering out the oxygen directly from the surrounding liquid and pulling it into his lungs.

He felt the rippling of water as his guide followed closely beneath him. He swam on his own for a while. Later on he'd have no choice but to use his guide for assistance, but for right now he'd manage fine by himself.

* * *

As soon as Link was lost to sight, Queen Helerra sank further into her throne, a quaint smile flitting at her lips. She released a single short laugh full of glee and closed her eyes, leaning her head on her shoulder, taking full advantage of the reprieve before her court realized that the hero had left and returned in swarms to the throne room.

A slight cough reminded her that she was not entirely alone. Lazily, she swung her head around and fixed Joran with a look of annoyance.

"Yes? Is there something you wish you say?"

Joran hesitated then sighed as he forged on. "It is just…why are you so happy, your majesty? A great evil arises, Hyrule is once again endangered, and yet you smile as if deeply contented."

Her smile broadened. "That is because I am deeply content. At long last, the hero has come. Do you know what that means?"

Joran slowly shook his head in admittance. "What does it mean?"

"It means," the Queen relayed, "that a great evil is coming."

At her advisor's continued perplexed and slightly dumbfounded expression, she sighed as if woeful and continued to explain. "Can you name all the great King and Queen Zoras that have come before me?"

Uncertain as to where this was going, Joran replied. "Well, there's Queen Ruto, Queen Rutela and then King Ralis. King Malgius was also noted for being great in his day…but what has that got to do with…"

She leaned back on her throne, fingers fiddling with her coral pendant. "The greatest of our people, and the first of those we teach the youngsters about when reciting history. And do you know what happens to all the other Kings and Queens…" she paused for effect then answered her own question. "They're forgotten, shadowed and made indistinct from one another. The only ones who've ever made a mark on history are those who've lived during the dark ages where a hero was required. The reason that I am so happy is not because the hero has turned out to be rather more attractive than I've initially judged him at first impression, but that I'm now in league with those past great rulers. I shall not be cast aside and remembered only fondly of, like one would remember a dear pet, as my father is remembered."

Joran tilted his head, bemused. "So…as long as you'll be remembered as one of our more prominent rulers in history…"

"That is exactly it!"

"But your majesty, you would not be forgotten in time. You do not have to be a great ruler to be remembered, we still have records of all our other monarchs."

Queen Helerra waved her hand dismissively. "Oh certainly I'll not be forgotten. I'm aiding Hyrule's hero, am I not? I will be known for my greatness in ages to come, that is what a great ruler strives for."

Joran shook his head, uncertain how to react to that. But it didn't matter now. The Queen would have what she wanted, and as long as she continued her rule as she was their people would do well. It wasn't likely to interfere with her work, so let her indulge in her belief.

Murmuring to herself, silently, the Queen gazed at her coral pendant between her fingers as she twisted it this way and that. "Unlike you father, I will not be forgotten…"

* * *

They toppled down Heron Falls just as the moon peeked its crescent glow over the horizon. The Heron Lake zora veered towards the village and spinning, made a quick jerking motion that loosened Link's grip and sent him skimming the last few feet to the shore. He crashed into the beach, hands splaying out in front of him and face planting in the sand. He spat a wad of gritty sand out of his mouth and turned a narrowed gaze at his zora escort - who had _still_ yet to name himself.

The escort laughed and submerged beneath the water without so much as a word of parting. Groaning, Link sat up and splashed water on his face and rinsed his mouth. He grimaced as a foul taste remained, but bore it. As he ambled onto shore he checked his things and became distressed as he discovered that water had seeped into one of his magic pouches and had soaked the two other tunics that the Queen had supplied.

"Perfect," he scowled, divesting himself of the zora armor and patting down his village clothes. It would take ages to wash the reek of lake water out of them.

He discarded the pouches and emptied the one of water as best he could before folding it and bundling it with the zora armor. A search among the rock clefts revealed a small cavity where he could stash the items until it came time to depart. Keeping two knives concealed tucked in the waistband underneath his clothes, he added his baldric to the pile and then covered it with driftwood and moved the rocks around a bit. It wasn't too noticeable, but he figured it was good enough not to arouse suspicion. The last thing he needed was for someone to discover his stash and to steal it under his notice.

He arrived home late into the night, dismayed at the sight of smoke rising from the chimney and a light in the window, indicating that Roark had waited up for him. He hadn't meant to be gone for so long and felt a slight bit of guilt at the worrying his foster father must have gone through.

Additionally, no doubt he'd been aware of the sudden changes Link had implemented in his lifestyle and was worrying over that as well.

Every morning Link rose before the sun – when before he'd laze about as long as he could just to catch a few extra seconds of sleep - and wandered deep into the woods to practice his sword fighting skills. Working in the forge took up most of his day, and whenever Roark wasn't around or whenever he had a spare moment he'd continue crafting his sword. The sword, now complete, lay hidden sheathless beneath the mattress of his bed.

He'd transitioned from a sociable young man to a practical recluse. Keeping alone and generally away from others, the only exceptions were his close friends. For a while Vrel would scowl whenever he caught sight of him, and Leaf would shrug and encourage him to wait it out. Grudges in the village never lasted long, and Vrel did eventually come around, but still maintained that Link was the most heartless bastard alive and prodded whenever he could about the reason why he didn't show any interest in Adra. On the other hand, Adra avoided him like the plague, a huge relief as it unloaded a lot of tension. He would have avoided her anyways. That she was doing it for him was less hassle. For the past few weeks though he hadn't had much time to spend with either of his friends. Too busy preparing for the impending journey to Castle Town.

He considered sneaking in through his window, but then settled on the front door. He'd been distant lately. Roark deserved his courtesy at least.

Sure enough, Roark was sitting in his favorite chair, smoking his pipe and staring into the glowing fire deep in thought. The kettle whistled and Link mindlessly folded a rag and pulled it away, fixing a cup of tea for Roark first then himself.

Roark snapped out of his daze and gasped suddenly at Link's appearance, to which Link winced, foresight having failed to remind him to fix that little problem. As it was, he was soaking wet and dripping all over the floor.

"Great Farore, Link! What happened to you?" he exclaimed, and Link had the good grace to appear contrite.

"I…went for a swim…" he muttered with no other explanation coming to mind.

"In the middle of the night? What for?"

He shrugged absently. "It was hot, I needed to cool off a bit."

Roark got up, pipe nipped tight between his teeth. "Don't move lest you spread the water. I'll be back."

Link stayed in place and Roark returned with a towel, which Link used to dry his hair and dab as best he could at his clothes. He made to get the mop but Roark shooed him away. "Get changed, then clean this up. We have to talk."

Link did as he told, tossing his wet things in a basket, he donned his only other pair of clothes – aside from the new garments Queen Zora had donated - and returned in record time. Roark was standing there with the mop and Link took it from him and worked on clearing the floor. Roark was silent as he finished up, having taken his seat and inhaling heavily through his pipe. He exhaled, a long wisp of smoke floating upwards.

Link put the mop away and sat down nursing his cup of tea. Distantly an owl hooted in the night. At length, Roark set his pipe down. "You're planning on leaving soon, aren't you?"

Link had braced himself, knowing this conversation was long in the coming, and was partially glad that Roark had brought it up himself. Either way, it was not an easy topic.

The silence extended from a few seconds to a full minute, and with that Roark took it as affirmation. "I can't hold you back if you're intent on leaving. I wouldn't do that to you. But…I do have one request."

Link looked up, surprised at Roark's easy acceptance, however that could be attributed to the fact that Link was not truly his son. Letting go of a blood relative had to be infinitely harder than a mere apprentice. "What is it?" If it were feasible he would do it.

Roark grinned at him, tapping his pipe to his bottom lip. "Don't go alone. If you have to go wandering, take someone with you. There are beasts out there that wouldn't hesitate to tear your throat out if given the chance. I'd feel more at ease knowing that you at least had someone at your back." He puffed on his pipe. "Vrel, maybe. He's been getting wild and restless. Would do that boy good to have a little traveling to drain his energy and harden him."

Link cringed, but forced a smile. He didn't want anyone else coming along but from the look of Roark's sturdy gaze it was evident that he'd not be allowed to go alone. Reluctantly, he nodded, thinking acerbically that he could always part with his company later on. He still didn't fancy being weighed down by another's presence.

Roark was not at all fatherly, but he cared in his own gruff way.

"When do you plan on going?"

Link pondered, hesitantly. "By the end of the week."

"So soon," muttered Roark, and it didn't seem as if he was at all surprised. Link must have been really throwing the hints around. "And how long are you to be gone?"

Link looked away, not knowing how to answer that because he wasn't sure. Roark got the message and smile indulgently.

"Best be getting to bed then. You have projects to finish up before you go. And don't think I'll hold off on your apprenticeship while your gone. No, I plan to take on a new student."

Link got to his feet. "Thank you, Roark." Then ambled to his room.

"And don't forget to ask Vrel. Goodness knows the village could do without him."

He smiled and called over his shoulder. "I'll ask him in the morning."

He heard Roark grunt and imagined him nodding. "You do that."

* * *

"No. Out of the question. Where do you come up with these absurd little notions?"

Vrel snorted and crossed his arms. "Now, Link, let's not be cross…"

Link nearly erupted. "Cross? I said no!"

They were standing at the gates of the village, packs slung over their shoulders, Link's sword wrapped in a cloth and fastened to the baldric on his back, and ready to go. A small crowd had gathered to see them off, but there was a tiny little detail that Vrel had neglected to inform him of. He'd invited Adra…

"It was my idea," said Adra, angrily as she marched up to him and Link frowned as his shortness enabled her to face him nose to nose. "Didn't I say I wanted to get out? To leave and see Kakariko village and Castle Town and everywhere else! You stole my idea and used it as your own, so there, I'm going."

That was something he wouldn't stand for. They had been doing a great job of avoiding each other after Link had come out about his lack of intimate feelings for his female friend, and although he missed her at times it was all for the best. Now here she was, things packed in a leather sack slung over her shoulder, dressed in traveling clothes – unconventional ones at that – and prepared to raze the village in order to tag along. He didn't need this. His relationship with her was already precarious as it was. And if he should appear with her at the castle in front of Zelda… He didn't want a repeat of the Mell incident.

Goddesses, why did women always have to complicate things?

"Look, I admit, I'd rather leave on my own," said Link, to which Vrel let out an indignant 'hey!'. "If it was my choice I'd go by myself, but Roark insisted that I take Vrel." More like demanded. There was no way Link would have been allowed to take one step out of the village if Vrel wasn't there. Which was ridiculous, he was an adult now! He knew he should have snuck out in the dark, guilt and the feeling of utter shame for disappointing Roark be damned... Maybe he was a little too attached to the grisly old man after all...

"Strength in numbers right?" inserted Adra. "One more person is an added benefit, don't you think?"

"You've never been outside the village before, you won't know how to take care of yourself. Or what if something happens? What if we're attacked by monsters?"

At this she looked highly affronted and leveled a stern glare at him. She stepped up front and jabbed him hard in the stomach with her finger. "That's a moot point, seeing as _you've_ never been outside the village either, and seeing how _I_ am more responsible and would probably be able to take care of myself better than you."

There were some nodding heads and mutters of agreement with Adra's statement. Link caught himself before he could reveal the falsities of both those points, thereby giving himself away. If he suddenly regaled them with tales of past lifetimes and experiences he imagined they'd lock him away somewhere secure and isolated. Hylians were by nature a suspicious lot, and as much as they held on to the old legends, there was little conviction to their beliefs, opting to pick and choose which parts they'd put their faith in and practically disregarding anything they conceived as too deviant from the norm. Reincarnation was about the most deviant things could get.

"I at least can wield a sword, I have the means to protect myself," Link rebutted. He really didn't want Adra to come along.

However, Adra smirked as if already prepared with a counterargument. "I just knew you'd say that. But you forget…I'm the best shot in the village." She winked at him and then patted the bow that had been slung across her back and that Link had missed in favor of focusing on his current disdain for her.

She had the vote of the villagers as they cheered for her like mindless tektites. Faced with her sturdy resolve and at a loss as to how to defend his case after that, he spluttered and grappled for whatever came to mind, but all those issues amounted as too weak for the exchange.

Her grin of triumph proved too unbearable to witness. Grouchily, he turned on his heel and hunched his shoulders, starting away from the village. "Oh, fine!"

Vrel patted his arm as he stomped past. "Come on, it won't be so bad, Link." But Link brushed him off, irritated.

He was aware that he was reacting childishly. One would think that after hundreds of years of life that he'd be the epitome of adult matureness, but as it were each time he relieved his youth he became his regular impulsive self – he blamed rampant hormones for that. The crowd cheered and probably viewed this as Adra's first win against him as a couple. He scowled at the thought and leaned against the gatepost, glaring at the ground broodily as he waited for Adra's parents to finish up planting her with sloppy kisses and weepy goodbyes. If they were so upset at the parting they should have taken his side. But again, the only reason why they might have encouraged her leaving was so that she'd remain close to him. Did everyone view this as a romantic endeavor?

Not everyone it seemed as Leaf slowly approached him and offered a weak smile. Although Link had invited him, Leaf chose not to come along, deciding he'd prefer to remain in the village.

"Take care, Link. I have no clue what brought this on, but ever since your birthday you've seemed a bit...restless."

Link sighed and nodded absently. "There's just things I…need to do."

Leaf shook his head. "I don't understand it. But I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for. And…and take care of Adra, will you."

Did he…did he fancy Adra? Leaf. Fancy. Adra? And then he noticed, it burned in Leaf's eyes, which observed the hearty goodbyes as both Adra's and Vrel's families made a scene with crushing them into bear-tight hugs, and for Vrel, firm back slapping. And yet, Leaf's eyes lingered fixated on Adra as if they couldn't look away. Yearning and desire shone within, and Link imagined that right now Leaf possessed the same look that he would later mimic when he came into view of Zelda.

Zelda…

After an entire month and a half of preparing, he was finally going to go see her.

"Get off of me," Vrel swatted at his multitude of younger siblings, who'd made a point to climb all over him, sobbing and smearing copious amounts of tears and snot all over his tunic. "I'm not going off to war. It's just a short tour around Hyrule. Bird's got to leave the nest someday, but it will be back once it has had its fill of the world. No longer than a month or two I'd wager."

Link's brows furrowed. For Vrel maybe, but for him…returning had never been his intention. His plan came to this: they'd arrive at Castle Town, he'd search out Zelda on his own – couldn't be too hard to find, seeing as how her house was the largest on the block, stuck out like a wolf in a cucco pen – meet with her, kiss her senseless, beg her forgiveness and then kiss her some more, and after a few more long hours of passionate snogging, marry her and set about continuing her legacy. Of course there were a number of possible unaccounted variables to look forward to. Ganondorf's return being the major flaw in his plan, but he'd deal with that hopefully before he turned into a major problem and could take over the castle and sear the land with his evil darkness, blotting out the light, causing drought and blight, and all those other predictable antagonistic requirements.

At long last – they must have been at it for an hour at least – Adra and Vrel managed to wrestle themselves out of the throng and join him at the entrance.

Adra looked at him inquisitively and then swept her gaze over the mass of waving people. "Where's Roark? Isn't he here to see you off?"

Link shrugged nonchalantly. "You know Roark. Time away from work is wasted daylight. _Won't see me crying and blabbering over you boy for leaving. No point, you'll still be going anyway_s." Link mimicked Roark's hoary voice from last night. But at the time he'd been sure he'd seen the man's eyes tear up a bit. "We said our goodbyes last night."

"Anyways, he's right about one thing," said Vrel, shading his eyes and glancing at the sun. "Wasted daylight won't do us any good if we want to make some headway. Let's go!"

As they walked out of the village, to the boisterous hollers of the crowd of villagers – really, it was as if they were heroes setting off on some grand adventure – Vrel and Adra both participated in some sort of mid step about turn, walking backwards to savor one last glimpse of their home and waving feverishly. And then the path swerved around a cluster of trees and the village was lost to sight, the cries dying down.

Link felt his heart rate quicken as they drew further and further away from the little village, not once had he looked back, not once did he feel any lingering attachment to the place that would entice him to return. He suffered only a minute fondness for Heron Falls and its people, but that was it. It was sort of nostalgic, heading out and abandoning his old hometown as he did in nearly every life. But the only attachment he felt was for the Castle, and for the princess who lived within.

Adra and Vrel made small talk as they traveled, and Link was relieved that she had chosen to walk on the other side of Vrel and leave him be, but she did level her gaze to him on occasion. Link made certain he gave no inclinations to wanting to join in the conversation. He was used to silence on his travels, but the murmur of their voices did not bother him as much as he expected. As long as they didn't disturb his silent musings he was fine.

The forest trail winded as they came to a small hillock, easing their path downward and curving around large rocks that jutted out from the side and slippery slopes. Of course, Vrel ignored all that and cleaved right through, going straight down the hill.

Instinctively, Link fingered the hookshot from within one of his magic pouches. "Vrel, what are you doing?"

Vrel grunted. "Saving daylight. This way's quicker."

"Vrel, be careful!" called Adra, but her words went over Vrel's head as he waved her off dismissively.

"I'll be fine," Vrel replied just before his foot met a clump of loose stones and flew from beneath him. Vrel yelped and waved his arms around as he slipped down the incline, scrambling for some purchase. Adra squealed and rushed down the path, calling his name.

"Vrel, you great lummox!" Link darted from the path after his friend. Even though it was not a dangerous drop, it could still leave Vrel damaged enough to delay their journey. But then again, this could be a good excuse to send both him and Adra back to the village. However, Roark might also find that a good excuse to keep him from leaving as well. A pity, he'd say, less than half a day spent before crawling back in defeat. Hopeless youngsters, he'd say.

Link skidded down a path of soil and was almost near enough to reach for Vrel. But before he could, there was a thunk and Vrel stopped short, an arrow dotted through his sleeve, piercing it to the upraised root of a tree. Link looked over his shoulder and saw Adra posed with her bow out, string still vibrating.

He sighed and held out a hand to help Vrel. "Your recklessness astounds me."

Vrel grasped his proffered hand and at the same time removed the arrow. "What are you on about? You're just as reckless as I am."

Link blinked, realizing that it had been the hero in him talking - although the hero did indeed take risks, skill and necessity negated the recklessness of the action. Bracing against each other, Link and Vrel slowly returned to the path where Adra was waiting, looking as if ready to whack them over the head with her bow.

"Lucky I was here, huh?"

Link tensed and urged them to press on, adding another win to Adra.

As they passed the hillock, the ground leveled out and eventually the trees became more sparse. All at once they were looking over a vast green vista with no end in sight and only a few clusters of trees dotting the landscape. Link felt a wave of yearning flow through him as he drank in the scenery. Hyrule field…

"Oh, it's beautiful," said Adra, stepping up next to him.

"Yeah," Link absently replied, before noticing their closeness and that Vrel was covertly inching back, giving them space.

Did they never learn? Furious, Link stomped down the road, not even bothering to make sure that Vrel and Adra had followed.

For all their beauty, Hyrule fields were dangerous as they left them open and defenseless. If a mob of bokoblins came upon them they could be easily surrounded and picked off. Just as likely, they could be shot from afar by bulblins. To Roark it made sense that one not be caught alone while out in the fields like this, but Link had also desired solitude for another reason.

And as evening fell and they set up camp, he suppressed the itching need to get out his sword and practice, but as long as Vrel and Adra were here, he couldn't do that. Or maybe he could… Adra had witnessed his training, hadn't she? In the woods… What would it matter if Vrel saw as well? Ah, yes. Male ego, that's why. It was good and all, that Link could hold his own and barely manage to defeat Vrel in a spar, but to dish out moves that were clearly beyond either of their expertise would dig deeply at him. He'd seen it before, jealousy or just as awful, dependency. Vrel could either feel so inadequate compared to Link that he'd broil with envy or he could become dependent on Link to get them out of all their scuffles.

Not to inflate his ego, but Link considered his progress quite good, his fighting skills much more advanced compared to how it had been at his birthday. It also helped that he was already learned in the techniques and maneuvers, he'd just had to reacquaint his body with them.

Women, men, other people in general, they were all so complicated, and annoying. One benefit about being King was that the only one who could ever order him around had been the Queen, as her royal blood made her the supreme ruler. Everyone else had jumped at his demands, and if and when he wanted to be alone, they'd all scram to give him his blessed silence. Cruel, Zelda often called him. Unlike him, she wasn't in the habit of abusing power, and only ever under the rarest of circumstances had it come to that.

Like that one time Link had crept up on her in her study and a courier had knocked tepidly on the door while Link had been in the midst of nibbling down her neck. He smiled at the memory. She'd been so flustered and harried, bent over the desk, that she'd snapped at the poor man who'd scurried away as if a pack of wolfos were gnawing at his heels. She'd been so angry afterwards, making Link swear to never do that again and to keep all acts of intimacy within the bedroom. He hadn't been happy with that, but had consigned to her demand. That had been the first and only time they'd been so adventurous sexually. And of course, being the bleeding heart that she was, Zelda had later located the courier and apologized, saying that she'd been suffering from a minor headache at the time. As one can imagine, Link had later set to rectify that. A _minor_ headache? No, in that sense of the word he was a _major_ headache.

He gazed listlessly at the crackling fire, overcome with memories and want and many indecent thoughts… He sighed.

Fireflies dappled the air, like dancing fairies. Impulsively, he searched his pouches for his violin, claimed by the immense urge to play a depressing requiem, before snapping to realization and retracting his hand. He'd told Vrel that he'd made the pouches, and baldric himself, and seeing as how he bore witness to him going so far as to temper his own sword, Vrel had easily accepted this, not registering the superior fabric and sowing skill that had gone into their creation. And there was no way he could take credit for their magic.

Mayhaps he'd purchase an ocarina. He didn't know why, but music had always been seared in his veins, perhaps because a good number of melodies held magic to them.

Vrel was digging through his bag, letting out an 'aha' as he unearthed a package of salted meat. Adra rifled through her pack as well.

Link got up. "Put that away."

Vrel looked at him perplexed and a mite bothered. "Why? We haven't eaten since lunch. It's late and I'm hungry."

"That's travel food. You should only rely on that when there are no other options," said Link. "Look, we shouldn't waste it. I'll go out and catch us some game."

The thought of fresh meat quelled Vrel's protest, and he placed his meal back in his bag. "Fine, go ahead, mister know all. And when you return a failure, then we'll eat. Don't take too long now."

Reluctantly, Adra as well replaced her food and shimmied closer to the fire.

Link left them and set to finding dinner. This also gave him a chance to scour the perimeter. As he drew away from the fire he melded into the faint twilight, and although he could see the fire of their camp clearly from five meters away, they'd be hard pressed to distinguish his figure from the oncoming darkness.

Wandering around, he searched the ground for any tracks of prey. At one point in his existence, he'd been able to turn into a wolf, and although he didn't possess any of the heightened senses he'd had as a beast, he could still just as easily spot the minor disruptions in the ground and attribute them to either rabbit, Keaton, wolfos, bear or some other beast. Hunting had become easy for him. At one point he caught signs that a young buck had been around, but the tracks were old, and he didn't see any appeal in lugging around a dead carcass that they wouldn't be able to finish off.

Something small would do. He searched the ground for rabbit holes, or traces of a ferret or stoat, but as he looked, he noticed something peculiar. He followed the familiar imprints with a growing sense of unease until he came upon a ridge, confirming what he'd feared. It was a bokoblin camp. Three – no – four of them at least. And it was empty.

Swiftly he turned back towards his camp, and sure enough he spotted the four dark figures racing along, attracted by the light of the fire. He swore and readied his sword, pulling out a few throwing knives in his other hand, and then hurried to catch up.

"Vrel! Adra! Behind you!" he called out, simultaneously alerting his friends before they could be unpleasantly surprised and alerting the bokoblins to his own presence. But as they couldn't see as well in the dark as Hylians could, and since Link was washed out of their vision like a dark shadow, they focused on the ones they could see and attacked.

His alarm had been heard. Vrel looked around in surprise and leapt up at the sharp beady eyes that leered at him as the first bokoblin came into view. It raised its club, and Vrel had hastily snatched his sword and brought it up, catching the club on its downward swing. Adra, having even less time than Vrel to prepare herself, had taken up her pack and swung it, keeping another bokoblin at bay.

Link growled. He'd have to educate them about the prudency of keeping their weapons without hands reach at all times. He smiled. Farore, he was starting to think like the general he had once been, teaching new warriors how to fight and survive.

All their previous lessons, all Vrel's fighting talents went to pot in the face of real danger. He attacked wildly with his sword, utilizing none of the techniques and strategies that Valera had taught him. Opposite to him, Adra struggled to fight off two snarling bokoblins. As the blade of Vrel's sword impacted against his bokoblin's club, Vrel lost his footing and tripped backwards. The bokoblin, sensing its victory, pulled back his weapon to bash Vrel's head in.

Link arrived right on time. Quickly he diverted the club's path, then twisted his wrist and disarmed his opponent. In another swift movement, he thrust his sword clean through, effectively rendering the bokoblin lifeless. Pivoting, he quickly confronted the next bokoblin, taking it out before moving on to the one's attacking Adra, who was, to his astonishment, holding her own quite well.

Dispatching them easily, he then surveyed the camp, making sure no more had stayed behind to creep up on them but it seemed they were safe for now. Wrapping his sword back up, he turned to his companions. "Are you alright?"

Vrel heaved to his feet. "Us alright? Are _you_ alright? Where in Hyrule did you learn to fight like that? You haven't been sneaking out in secret and attacking innocent monsters, have you? You weren't even panicking." Vrel went over to cautiously nudge one of the dead bodies, wrinkling his nose. "I suggest a relocation is in order."

Link blinked. And it seemed that Vrel was going to go with dependency. He just hoped it didn't go to the bigger boy's head. "Agreed. Let's gather up our stuff and go." He quickly latched on to that course of action, wanting to stay clear of the subject of his sword skills.

Adra was gathering up her bedroll and they traded a surreptitious glance. They both knew how close to the mark Vrel was with his assumption.

As they were breaking camp, Adra sidled up to him, glancing at him with wide green eyes. "Thank you…you know…for saving us. I guess all that late night training paid off, huh."

Link sighed and looked at her. "Yeah, I guess so. And you, you didn't even use your bow. Best shot, eh? Well, we didn't see any of that tonight did we?" He rebutted, playfully, happy to immerse himself back into their easygoing friendship.

She drew up sharply. "I can do just as well with or without my bow, so there."

Link laughed as she stormed away, leaving a wide berth around the bodies, to stand beside a bemused Vrel.

They walked for another half hour before they were forced to stop as full darkness descended and they couldn't see more than a foot in front of them. The moon was thinning, and so offered very little light. They settled down close to one another and deemed that it was warm enough that they didn't need a fire. This time they arranged for a watch, Link would stay up then wake Adra for her turn and lastly Vrel.

Link stared up into the night sky, eyes automatically drawing to each constellation and naming them. If there was one thing that stayed constant throughout his lifetimes it was the stars. Everything else changed, even he and Zelda. Idly, he wondered how old she was in this era. The Goddesses had been gracious to them in that they were never more than at most four years apart in age, yet he always thought it best when they were born within the same year as one another.

His thoughts meandered back to the earlier events of the night. It had stunned him that they'd been attacked so quickly, but then, evil always did strike hard and fast. Ganondorf had to be found and swiftly taken to task. Above all, he had to reunite with his princess and together they'd seek him out and eventually destroy him.

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**A/N: Sorry, lot's of OCs, but it can't really be helped, new era and all, but I do base them off of some of the other LOZ characters (e.g. Queen Helerra I sort of imagine looking similar to Queen Rutella, although the later seems more serene and composed). I have to admit, this was a boring chapter to write, but hopefully I can get to the actual plot within the next few chapters and address some of your questions by then. Wonder what will happen when Link finally arrives at Castle Town!**

**As always, reviews and feedback are welcomed. Hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: It always amazed me how willing people were to let Link wander off into danger on his own with total independence, or they may not have been willing, but they certainly didn't argue against it as fiercely as they should have. Convenience, that's what it is. There's the islanders and Link's grandmother in WW, the headmaster and all the teachers in SS (although they acknowledged that he was the chosen hero and had a quest), the Ordonians in TP, etc. So I incorporated a bit of that here, although he's not entirely alone. I couldn't help but feel that they should fight harder for him, to ensure his safety.**

**Thanks to those of you who reviewed: Wandom Wockets, lolol, princessanime29, Generala, Death Waltz, Guest, Duductionist, Dellange, ObscurityProject, Juno and Bloodspire! **

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**Chapter 4**

It shouldn't have affected him so much, he shouldn't have felt this piercing ache in his heart, nor the contrasting feeling of warmth that radiated throughout his being like a welcoming beacon. But as they crested the last rise and were able to look over the grandeur that was Castle Town, he couldn't help but feel both those plus more.

He heard Adra breathe in an awed gasp as she and Vrel admired the entirety of the colossal structure, walls and townhomes alike, but unlike them, Link only had eyes for the castle itself where lay his personal destination. It was only a few miles more, probably an hour of walking. If he had had a horse he could make that in possibly ten minutes, but as it was, that was not an option. What was another hour though to the years he'd had of waiting? The lifetime he had to endure alone and the seventeen years of ignorance would all be set aside the moment he came in contact with Zelda, forgotten and nonexistent next to the life he would share with her. Reuniting with her would restore the life within him, until then he may as well be dead inside.

Vrel and Adra had started to talk enthusiastically about things they've heard from travellers and the few fellow villagers who'd actually been to the capital, tales that had been told and retold until they were greatly over exaggerated. Adra listened raptly as Vrel went on to describe the sorts of potions sold at the brewery. Link listened half as raptly, mentally providing verification of the rumors. No, there was no such thing as a potion that heated one's skin to a boil, someone would surely die for that, and no healing potions did not remedy any genetic disfigurements, it may heal the body in a physical aspect, but it did not alter the formation. And… what? That he'd rescind. He decided not to make judgments on whether or not there was indeed an agent that provided men with an increased libido.

Why was Vrel talking about these things? And with Adra – who had fallen suddenly quiet, face adopting a similar hue to that of a strawberry.

"Thoughts to yourself, please," he spoke with an edge of warning, looking to save Adra from the ignoble turn of the conversation.

Vrel chuckled. "It was just something that I heard at the tavern. You should listen to what some of those people have to say. Most of it is useless drivel, but sometimes they can be really informative."

Vrel's mother was Lily, the woman who owned the apothecary. At first glance upon observing his muscular physique one would assume Vrel was a woodcutter or mill worker, but they'd be surprised how he leeched up any and all information pertaining to remedies and medicines, chemistry in general. He'd memorized his mother's book on plants and poisons, and was able to identify them on sight depending on their individual properties. Of course he'd have latched on to any conversation that mentioned potions, and that it appealed to his teenage interests further encouraged him to ingrain every word to memory.

"What were you doing at the tavern?" asked Adra sternly, as her embarrassment ebbed. "You weren't drinking were you?"

Vrel snorted at this. "I'm of age, aren't I? You don't call out on your dad for going in for a pint or two at the end of a tiring day."

"That is despite the point, it's really not good if you make a habit out of it. And starting young only makes you addicted faster," she argued in harsh reprimand.

Vrel's face scrunched in annoyance. Men never did like it when a woman went off nagging at them.

"Wasted rupees," said Link, and Vrel snapped to him incredulously. Link just shrugged.

"Exactly!" exclaimed Adra.

"And entirely worth it," Link remedied, tossing them both a wry grin.

He'd had a taste for alcohol in his previous lives, but back then it had been more refined, as was expected from the sovereign. Hard ale was something of a luxury that he indulged in whenever he had the chance, and Zelda had always disapproved of that little delight. That did not mean he'd gorge on it though, he'd been far too sensible for that. Something it appeared he had lost, now that he thought about it. He had merely to envision his seventeenth birthday party.

Vrel laughed, while Adra was definitely not amused. She quickened her pace, a show of anger and that she meant to give them the silent treatment. She wasn't used to being teamed up against and that no doubt bothered her.

As they drifted back to lighter topics Adra slowly rejoined them, her mood lifted as they neared Castle Town. All at once they were beneath the arch that stood guard over one end of the bridge. Adra had been practically skipping along until this point, but with the end so close at hand she couldn't resist any longer. She burst into a spontaneous run, trailing a gleeful laugh.

"Last one to the bridge is a mad cucco!"

Vrel and Link exchanged glances then shot off as if they fully believed in that statement.

They arrived the last few meters to the town, their steps clacking as they sprinted over the bridge. A pair of massive oak doors rose before them, seeming to grow larger as their perception changed with the reduced distance. One of the doors was partway open and they dashed on through, Link briefly nodding at the soldiers posted on either side.

They slowed down, heaving and giddily trying to catch their breaths. They shared lively smiles then straightened up to be met with the bustle of Castle Town.

Noises and scents bombarded him on all sides. The smell of spices and pipe smoke, wood and cold stone, all in a mix. The roads were filled with people. Children ran around wildly, a few who'd come too close to the various carriages ambling down the streets were yanked back and scolded by their parents. Vendors called out, lined along both sides of the main roads, advertising their wares. Vrel's interest was instantly peeked, and Adra could be caught reluctantly eyeing the booths as well, a glimmer of desire in her eyes.

Link ignored them for the most part. He was used to the types of coercions used by salesmen desiring people to buy things that they didn't need or use. Rather, he was anxious to get to the castle. But Vrel had other thoughts. Already he'd darted off to admire an impressive looking knife display.

The vendor smiled invitingly as Vrel ogled his stand, and at once swooped down on him. "See anything you like? All of them are a rather impressive make, genuine gerudo crafted."

Link and Adra went over and peered, irritated and inquisitively at the items, respectively. Link crossed his arms and watched unimpressed.

"How about those!" Vrel pointed rabidly to a vibrant pair of fancy knives, shiny and yellow in color with miniscule red jewels embedded in the handles.

"Ah, these," exclaimed the vendor, picking one up and holding it reverently. "Some of our best throwing knives, see the curves, allows them to zoom through the air faster. They're gold plated, inset with rubies. A rare and valuable item for experienced knife throwers. And at only eighty rupees! Generous, yes?"

Vrel scrunched his face, seeming to be debating with himself. His expression declared how much he longed for the knives but eighty rupees was a hefty sum to lose all in one go.

The vendor saw his hesitance and acted on it. "The rupees are also said to possess magical aspects, which aid the wielder."

At that Vrel became fixated, but then his shoulders slumped dejectedly. "It would be pointless then. I can't use magic."

"Whether or not you possess the gift is irrelevant. Anyone can make use of magical items."

Link could see his resolve slowly crumpling. The vendor just needed one last push before he finally had him.

_Oh, for Din's sake! _

Link slammed his hand down on the table, rattling the display and snapping Vrel out of his daze.

The vendor startled, then narrowed his eyes at him in displeasure. "Excuse me, sir, but these are valuable merchandise. If any of my knives become damaged you'd be hard pressed to reimburse me."

"You must be joking," said Link, annoyed. It bothered him to see Vrel so easily led by the nose by this man.

The vendor jerked back, then composed himself to take on a look of affront. "I beg your pardon?"

"If these really are as valuable as you say then why are they here out in the open rather than stored in a vault? People don't sell gold and jewels on the streets, they have special shops for that."

As his voice rose, he attracted the attention of a few people who were shopping nearby. They eyed the display curiously.

Adra looked around and hissed at him through her teeth. "Link, don't cause a scene."

But Link wasn't done yet. "The curve of the blade does not increase the speed of the throw, and anyone who has any notable competency with knives would not be so dense as to choose a gaudy set over one that is practical. Look at the metal, it's flimsy, and the jewels are dull and so obviously fake, I'm repulsed."

Vrel, and the increasing amount of onlookers, leaned forward to look, noting under closer scrutiny what Link had at first glance. If anything Vrel should take him seriously. He'd worked with metal for seven years now. He knew what he was talking about.

"They wouldn't be able to hold a drop of magic. Also, the gerudos haven't been around for hundreds of years, and these are too new to be old artifacts. Do you know what I call this," he said bending close as the vendor looked at him with horrified eyes, bottom lip trembling as sweat beaded on his forehead. "Scamming!"

Many of the onlookers gasped, the others quickly raised a ruckus and took up Link's cry.

"Why that lying cheat! Trying to sell his trinkets with false claims," one man spoke up, raising a fist.

"He's been swindling us all along!"

More cries rose up as the people converged around his stand, shouting furiously.

The vendor frantically waved his hands. "No! No! I-"

"Oi! What's going on here!"

A group of soldiers approached and Link took that as their cue to discreetly slip away. Tugging Adra and Vrel behind him, he blended into the suddenly raucous crowd and darted down street after street, finally slowing to a walk as they approached an alley, their panting forms attracting curious stares. Link braced a hand against the wall to steady himself, emitting low chuckles of amusement.

"Wow," said Vrel, punting Link on the shoulder. "Thanks man. You saved me eighty rupees back there. I never would have thought of all that."

"Well," said Link, patting down his hair. "You've always been all brawn and no brains."

Vrel punched him harder, causing Link to stagger a bit. "Thanks for that."

Adra kneaded her brow. "You two. Not even fifteen minutes and already you cause a scene. And didn't I tell you not to, Link?"

That girl, always the killjoy. What was wrong with causing a bit of trouble now and then? He'd call it a girl thing, but her friend Marle was more rambunctious than her, ready and willing to be the originator of mass havoc in the village. Riling people up was a great source of amusement. The added justice against the vendor only sweetened the deal.

"Well, at least the man's been ousted," said Vrel. "Who knows how many people he's already swindled."

"Let's just find an inn," she pressed, marching off. "I'd like to make sure we pay for a room for a couple of nights before you decide to waste all of your rupees. We should think about finding temporary jobs too while we're staying here. Might not be a bad idea to build up a little. We still have other places to visit."

Vrel smiled sheepishly and Link shook his head before moving to follow her. These avenues and roads were considerably narrower than the main road and far less busy and it was easier to become lost in them as they winded in maze-like fashion and led off into many back alleys.

"I though I saw an inn close to the gate we entered from. Maybe we could stay there?" Adra pondered out loud.

"Not good," said Link. "That inn had a stable, plus it was the closest to the entrance and off the main road. The price for that would be too high for us. We should look for a place further in the city."

"You're awfully knowledgeable all of a sudden," said Vrel skeptically. "How do you know all of these things?"

Link hesitated, but before he could answer Adra piped up for him. "Unlike you, mister all brawn, Link actually reads. Also he probably did what I did and asked around and planned ahead before deciding to leave Heron Falls. That's called efficacy. I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow has a map of Castle Town." She looked at him over her shoulder, inquisitively. "_Do_ you have a map?"

"Afraid not," he admitted, although now that he thought of it, he should have had the foresight to at least buy an updated depiction of Hyrule. As much as he knew the land, it did not remain constant over time. A map of Castle Town would have been nice too, as well as the blueprints for the castle, he added. Procuring the later, though, he knew would be impossible.

"I'm sure we can find someone that sells maps somewhere," he said.

Adra nodded. "Yes, but until then…" she suddenly veered away and approached an old man walking at an achingly slow pace down the street. She spoke with him for a few moments with much gesturing and loud elaboration then hurried back, a smile spread across her face. "Follow me."

Link thought they must have been deep in the center of the southeastern quarter as they ventured down a couple more streets and alleys. Adra gave a happy cry and then jogged ahead when they sighted a tall building nestled between a pair of cozy houses. The swinging sign above the door labeled it as 'The Keaton's den'. It was an inn, and exactly the sort they needed, not too high-classed or popular, and not one of the cheap shanties they'd find in the shady parts of town.

They entered a virtually empty pub, only a few patrons sat at the tables, dining on their noon meal. A large man, with a typically wide girth for this sort of employment, stood behind the counter, wiping it clean with a rag in a motion that seemed more habitual than of necessity.

"G'day to you, sir, sir, an' miss. Name's Odol. What can I be gettin' yeh?" Odol said, donning a bright cheery smile.

"Umm," Vrel started, before looking to Link and Adra. "Two? Yeah, can we get two rooms?"

"Sure, that'll be ten rupees a night then fer each room. How long'll yeh be stayin'? An' yeh want meals with that?"

"Does it cost extra," asked Adra, face scrunching and Link imagined she was mentally tallying up the price.

Odol shrugged. "Oh, jus' five more rupees per day. I make it a goal tah keep my rates affordable. Sounds good, doesn'it?"

Adra smiled and stepped up to the counter, pulling a rupee bag from her sack. "That's perfectly acceptable. Thank you." Then she dumped out a surprising amount of blue and red rupees, causing both Vrel's and Link's eyes to bulge.

"Where'd you get all that?" exclaimed Vrel, voice filled with awe and slight accusation.

"I told you, I've been planning this for a while," she said boastfully, brimming with pride. "I saved up every rupee I made. This isn't all I have either, I have more in-"

"Look, missy," Odol hissed quietly, cutting her off. He hunched down to her level, eyes shifting to the only two other patrons in the house. "I don' mean tah be rude, but it ain't wise tah show off any amount of wealth in public places. I run an honorable business and don't accept thieving an' such, but sometimes it can't be helped. So if yeh'd please, keep that tah yerself."

Adra understood right away that she'd made a target of herself to anyone that was looking, which Link hastily assured, there was no one. The two patrons were busy immersed in their own conversation. She flushed bright red and hurriedly stashed the bag away once she'd handed out the appropriate sum for their stay. Link opposed her when he noted that she'd paid for his and Vrel's share as well.

"I have my own rupees, I will not be depending on you," he snapped.

But Adra brushed him aside. "I don't care if you have enough, I have more, a lot more. You can pay me back by buying me a gift or something."

But a gift could give the wrong impression, and Link wasn't so willing to do that. "Adra…" he pressed, frustrated.

"No, Link. You don't see Vrel complaining do you? Just accept my generosity for once, I like doing things for you guys every so often," she said, just as ardently.

Odol looked from one to the other, but he didn't seem to care much now that he'd been paid. The two men occupying the tavern had left, one muttering on the way out about rowdy youths.

"Fine! Fine, you win, you pay, whatever!" Link exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

Adra looked all too satisfied as she grabbed his and Vrel's arms, entwining them with hers. "That wasn't so bad now, was it? Now, let's go find the town square! That's always where all the excitement is."

They dropped off their packs and most of their supplies in their rooms. Link shared with Vrel, somewhat daunting considering his budding plans, but if he'd opposed the arrangement it would have screamed suspicious. Either that or stuck up, self-conscious, impractical and strange. His belt pouches stayed fastened around his waist, and he kept his baldric and sword on him.

The people had the right to be armed, to be able to defend themselves should the need arise. It wasn't uncommon to see armed men and women, the lay people, wandering the town with weapons on full display. The most his equipped form would elicit as a reaction may be a raised eyebrow or a mocking jeer. He'd received all sorts of comments in his previous lives. Outwardly he looked too short and boyish to be taken seriously. Only the experienced warriors and soldiers with long years of fighting under their belts would be able to detect his fighter's gait, the way he moved and the way he comfortably carried his weapon around.

The good thing about the town square was that all the main roads connected to it at the end, and all the main roads could be found by traveling straight in one direction until you came across them. Another positive fact about the square, in Link's opinion at least, was that it lay directly in the shadow of Hyrule Castle itself.

All three of them stopped to admire the formidable edifice, towering over them with the majesty it was meant to portray.

Link scrutinized it solemnly. In his mind's eye he saw not the pure white-stone building before him, but a darker one, black and grimy, turrets and towers splitting down the middle, toppling over like felled trees, floors crumbling beneath his feet, the numerous magnificent chandeliers in the great hall smashing to the floor, rugs and tapestries wreathed in flame, windows shattering, and cloaked in the stench of death.

He blinked to clear his vision. Many years had passed between that time and now, and the castle had been reconstructed. He'd seen it hours ago from afar, and now with his close up view he was able to distinguish all the changes in the modelling. It hurt to look at it, so pristine and grand, when within the next little while it could be overshadowed by darkness as evil corrupted it.

But he wouldn't let that happen. Not this time.

"Oh, look!" said Adra, bouncing in place and jabbing a finger at a space on the other side of the bubbling fountain that was the square's centrepiece.

An outdoor event was taking place, a group of hylians and gorons were gathered and watching amidst occasional cheers and applause. The space had been barred with fenced ropes, splitting off a long stretch of the street with a tall board at the end and swinging targets various distances away.

An archery game. How typical of Adra to be so attracted to that. Zelda had always been good at archery, better than him even. She possessed the hawkish eyes and steady hands required for the sport. Her speed and precision was just as good on the ground aiming at a fixed target as on horseback galloping at full speed and shooting a bird from the sky. Hunting expeditions with her had always been a source of thrill.

Before either he or Vrel knew it, Adra had shot off without a leave of warning. He could just make out her white-blonde head bobbing among the crowd before distance and persons taller than her concealed her from view.

"That girl," muttered Vrel. "We'll be running everywhere after her, I swear."

Adra had somehow pushed her way to the very front where an announcer, the owner of the game, stood on a stool to give him height above all the heads. A man, broad and muscular, stood on the opposite end of the board, arm pulled back and straining as he sighted along his arrow at the moving targets ahead.

Somehow both Link and Vrel had managed to weave their way to the front, standing beside her.

"You shouldn't run off like that," said Link, but Adra ignored him, enraptured by the archery performance before her.

The man released his fingers and the arrow flew just narrowly managing to strike a target on the outer ring.

The masses cheered, and Adra cheered with them, a great smile on her face. "Oh, I wish I'd brought my bow! I so want to try this!"

A man from the crowd turned to her. "That you can, missy. Gav has some spare ones for people who don't own a bow. You just have to wait in line like the rest of them."

Adra looked to the man, her eyes sparkling, and then to the short cue. It appeared more people would rather watch than participate, but that was fine with her because it meant she would be closer to the front of the line.

"Wait, Adra," said Link reaching out a hand to catch her arm right as she darted away. He sighed. When it came to this stuff she could be flighty at times. A meaty hand fell on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Oh, come on, Link. Let her have her fun. We'll buy her a couple of rounds and there, all paid back for the rooms at the inn," said Vrel.

It was better than getting her an actual gift he supposed. Vrel and Link then studiously watched as the large man shot his last round.

"AAAAND, that's eight targets out of fifteen! The record of the day, but not enough to win the special first prize," the owner called out, waving to quiet the crowd. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to settle with the third place prize. Twenty rupees are all yours!"

The man smiled and took his winnings, holding up the red rupee to a round of raucous cheers. He'd done the best so far that day, so Link supposed that was something to be proud of. He had not gained or lost anything, as each round cost twenty rupees. Link looked over at the prize table and saw that the second place prize was a grand fifty rupees and a new quiver, and first place was a curious little trinket, a gold-banded ring with a stunning blue gem. He whistled lowly. Now that would fetch a decent price, assuming it was authentic.

Adra was sure to win it, or at least take the second prize, which would be equally beneficial.

He watched as the next man up took the bow and readied an arrow.

"What's all this for?" said a gruff voice behind him, addressing his neighbor.

Link cautiously peered over his shoulder to see two hylian guards decked out in their soldier gear conversing with each other while observing the event.

The other guard snorted and lifted his visor. "It's a biweekly event that Mr. Gav planned out. Supposed to help sales. Every two weeks he sets up his game outside and has some special prize for whoever's first to hit all the targets in hard mode. That's when they move around, makes it more difficult."

"I get that, what I mean is why did you drag me here?" snapped the first guard with undisguised impatience.

The second guard shrugged. "Lukas decided he wanted to try out. We're here as support."

"What can Lukas do? He's more likely to misfire all his arrows and hit the citizens."

"Then we should make sure that doesn't happen shouldn't we. Can't have anyone getting hurt, especially with the gala coming up. Would cause some upset. Can't have the dignitaries witnessing that."

Link turned his attention back to the game as the guards kept their quiet conversation. Two other men had stepped up, and one woman. None so far had come as close as that first man had, although one of the men did win in easy mode, but his prize was of lesser quality. The friend the guards had been talking about took his turn and failed miserably at hard mode, just as the guards had predicted. They offered him encouraging back-slaps and a 'better luck next time,' from one guard, and 'best you learn how to actually shoot properly,' from the other.

As the line dwindled, Adra came up to stage. Beside him, Vrel was quivering in anticipation, practically biting his finger nails down to their nubs. Link had confidence in her.

"Hard mode," said Adra, calmly, brow furrowing with determination.

"All righty, miss," said Gav, and he tugged on a switch, which instantly sent the targets into motion.

Adra drew her borrowed bow and plucked out an arrow from the pile on the table, placing the feathered end on the string and aligning it with the first target. With a pang it released, and a startling gasp was emitted from the crowd as it hit dead center. She drew the next arrow and quickly brought that to bear. It flew and ripped through a second target further away. The next three she took in quick succession, never missing her mark. The crowd was going wild as she hit the ninth, surpassing the previous lead's record, and she still had more to go.

The owner cried out in shock. "My word! A new record, and six targets left! Will she make it?!" he bubbled with just as much eagerness as the crowd.

Adra nailed the next three, but the one after that came close as it just barely pierced the outer ridge. The last two targets were a lengthy distance away, and swung back and forth at a much faster rate. Link saw the sweat bead on Adra's brow as she concentrated, not once blinking.

Everyone seemed to hold their breath as she went in for the last two. She waited for the right moment and released, and missed! Her arrow thunked right into the boarded background, and in panic she pulled a hasty last shot and that one missed too, ruining her attempt for first place.

The crowd moaned dejectedly.

Gav seemed just as disappointed. "Ah, nearly hit those ones there. Afraid you'll have to settle for second prize! Give a hand to our new record setter!"

The applause that met her caused her face to redden and she looked away timidly as she accepted her new quiver and the fifty rupees. Everyone reached in to offer her congratulations, and even though she absorbed all the attention with a relish, there was disappointment in her eyes as she looked at the glistening ring on the table.

Link gauged her dismayed countenance and battled with himself. Should _he_ step up and claim the prize? It was obvious that she greatly desired it, but then such an action would surely fill her head with the wrong ideas, and the last thing Link wanted to do was to lead her on. But it was just a gift. Friends gave each other presents and did kind things for each other, didn't they? Perhaps, he would. Just this once.

But just as he was about to head to the now vacant line, a strange woman offered Gav her twenty rupees to play the game. The cloak she wore was black with grass green designs along the hem, beneath which her attire was concealed from view. She had her hood down and a tumultuous amount of vivid red locks tumbled around her shoulders in loose ringlets. She wore a small amount of makeup, both her eyes were lined with black and her eyelids had a dusting of purple powder. Her lips had been painted rouge, enhancing them as she looked over at Gav with a shimmering full smile.

"Hard mode, please," she said. Her voice carried a deep feminine resonance and already she had many of the men transfixed.

Gav stuttered then found his voice and smiled lopsidedly. "Yes ma'am!" He pushed a button, resetting the targets, and then pulled the lever.

The redheaded woman took a stance, feet braced shoulder width apart, she angled herself sideways and looked over her shoulder, chin brushing the cloth of her cloak as she brought the bow up.

It was like rapid fire. First one arrow was dispatched, then another and another, her hand moved toward them quicker than the eye could detect and she didn't waste a moment, as soon as they touched the string they were off, planting themselves deeply into the targets. Within seconds it was all over, and she turned to be met with a stunned audience.

A beat of silence.

The guards from all the way over at the gatehouse must have heard the wild cheering that soon came after, so loud it was that Link had to press his palms to his ears to muffle the sound until it quieted down. Once it did, he lifted his head, watching as with everyone else as the owner, Gav, eagerly gifted her with the ring. Link cast a glance at Adra, who seemed stoned beside him, her face a mask of sealed emotion. He couldn't tell what she was feeling, but cheerful glee was definitely not there.

The woman lifted the ring, peering at it closely, then dropped her hand and closed her fist. She faced them, brown eyes flashing in their direction, pinning Link with a cheeky gaze. No, not Link, she was looking at Adra.

"Small town girl, eh? Best in your village, I assume?" she said suavely and with a sultry tone. Many of the women backed away, while the men drew closer.

Adra fisted her hand, a hard glint entering her eyes. "Yes, I am."

The woman's smile grew as she tossed the ring high and caught it. "Not bad for your first time out in the real world, hon. But remember, standards here are high. Back home you might have only had to contend with a few good shots to keep ahead. Here you don't only have to keep ahead, you have to be the best, or at least close to it. Better luck next time, hon."

At those departing words, Adra surprised Link by boldly stepping forward. "Wait, what's your name?"

The woman's lips curled even further, chin ducking minutely as her eyes darkened. "Why, I'm honored. My name is Vivienne Dalousi. And what do I have the pleasure of addressing you as?"

"Adra Miller," she responded, her hard tone replaced by a slightly hopeful one. "And these are my friends. Link and Vrel."

Link almost ducked when she indicated him, but stood firm. He did not like the look of the woman before him. Vrel simply gaped then shifted bashfully as Vivienne's eyes flitted over him, gazing under long eyelashes. Link swore Vrel looked as if the sun had burned him.

Vivienne sauntered forward, standing directly before Adra and looking down at her, a whole foot taller.

"Hmmm, what stunning specimens. Best to keep them on a short leash, if you get what I'm saying, hon," she winked, causing Vrel to go stone still, many of the onlookers to laugh, and Adra to stutter. Link, though, kept firm control over himself. Vivienne's cloak wasn't so tight that it outlined each feminine curve, but it was evident from her shape that she was well endowed in the best of places. She was very beautiful, but much too old for them. Link estimated her age range within the late twenties to early thirties. It was apparent by her mannerism that she was a seasoned seductress.

However, the only woman who could tempt him, who he would allow to tempt him, was Zelda. No one else… not anymore. She may not have been the only woman who he'd courted, but she was the only one who he had ever bedded, which said a _lot_ about his character.

"Could you teach me?" asked Adra, and Link thought that must have been the most incredulous, the most impulsive thing she'd ever done. What was she thinking, asking a complete stranger that?

She must have been trying to soften the blow for such a humiliating upstaging. Adra's pride could only take so much, and by appearing humble and with the desire to learn she could become the studious pupil and Vivienne her awe-inspiring teacher, rather than the envious competitor.

Vrel released a shaky laugh. "Yeah, Adra, you need all the help you can get," he said, his gaze constantly deviating to Vivienne.

_Love struck_, thought Link, angrily._ Don't be a fool, Vrel._

Vivienne let out a soft peel of laughter, shaking her head. "Oh, no no no, I don't do that, I would never teach another. Forget about it, go back to your small town or learn from somebody else," she said, wiping away a tear of amusement. "Or do what many do. You know the saying, hon? Practice makes perfect. Become a bit lax, have you."

Adra did admirably to control the sudden rage Link saw building up within her, but he thought they should be leaving before she eventually did snap. He grabbed her arm, and grabbed that oaf Vrel's too.

"There's still more to see. You've had your fun, Adra, now it's mine and Vrel's turn," Link insisted in an urgent tone.

"Ah, before you leave and explore all the wonders of big town life," said Vivienne, smiling brightly and stimulating many of the men's hearts. "I've taken quite a liking to you, _young_ Adra." She deliberately emphasized the word young, and Adra bristled. She winked and flicked her thumb. Something glittery arced in the air and Adra caught it on its descent. "A small gift. I've no need of it, so I leave it to you, hon. Enjoy."

With that she stepped away and was momentarily forgotten as everyone hovered around to see what it could be. Link though, wasn't surprised to see the same blue studded ring that had been the reward for first place. The crowd around them gasped and marveled.

"Oh, what a generous Lady," said one woman, ogling.

"Must be a noblewoman. She said she doesn't need it. Probably has lots more."

"You should be grateful to receive such a gift. It is lovely isn't it?" another woman gawked.

They all fawned over the ring, the men, having lost interest, looked around eagerly for the mysterious woman. But since they searched only at ground level, none saw her. As he looked up, Link's practiced eyes spotted her standing on the shingled roof of one of the townhouses. She flashed a sultry smile and spun in place, arms raised and crossed with her wrists flung out. She vanished in a swirl of light ribbons.

No one noticed and no one saw but him, and that act only furthered his unease. A sorceress!

"Where did Vivienne go?" asked Vrel, glancing around, and Adra openly gaped at him.

"Vivienne?" she snarled. "Since when we're you all close and cozy with her?"

Vrel stammered, pulling nervously at his hem. "That – umm… hey, Link, didn't you say it was our turn to do something fun?" said Vrel, impatiently, pushing him in the direction of another stand.

"That woman!" hissed Adra, as the crowd dispersed. "How dare she? Where does she get the gall to – to humiliate me like that!?"

"Come on, Adra. She wasn't so bad," said Vrel, trying to placate her. "And look, she gave you the ring."

"Pompous, arrogant, that uppity little-"

"Hey look! The sweet shop is handing out free samples!" a young boy called out, pulling his mother along.

Link took hold of the distraction and dragged Adra and Vrel with him. "Let's go get ourselves some appetizers, shall we?" He wasn't sure if he was thrilled or not to see Adra harrumph and jab the ring on her left middle finger, but decided Vivienne wouldn't have had the time to enchant it for however long she'd been in contact with it. It was probably fine.

Adra soon simmered enough to enjoy herself, and they spent the rest of the day running from one booth to the other.

* * *

The castle cast its dark shadow over him as he viewed it with a sense of morbid fascination. For the past two nights he'd been staking out the castle in the dark, entering stealthily with the use of his hookshot – he relented, Queen Helerra was right in commissioning him a new one. Stealing past guards was a simple matter of watching for their rotations and memorizing their rounds. But so far he had yet to actually fully enter the castle proper.

Additional surveillance had been placed around each entrance and there wasn't a window that wasn't in sight of at least one guard at all times. There was a greater amount of activity around the grounds as well, as an unusual amount of guests had arrived. During the day it swarmed with activity as servants ran around, tending to the multitude of nobles and foreign guests. His thoughts had at once turned to the conversation between those two guards. Dignitaries and gala were all he needed to add it up and draw conclusions.

Something big was happening at the castle and that could only mean a small number of things: a forged alliance was being made, Zelda was about to enter marriage – Goddesses forbid -, it was one of the celebrated Goddess days – which he knew it was not -, or it was a blessings ceremony. That had to be it. The blessings ceremony was something he'd witnessed in each of his lifetimes. Six months before Zelda would turn eighteen and be crowned Queen she had to obtain the blessings of the Goddesses in the temple of time, followed with a monthly worship in which Zelda would seclude herself within the temple for the entire day and pray. The Goddesses could either bless her or reject her as the true heir, and so far she'd never once been rejected. A month before the actual blessing took place it was customary to celebrate with a gala, followed by an even grander event a fortnight later that included all inhabitants, not just the persons of importance.

If this was indeed for the blessing ceremony then Zelda in this era must be almost seventeen and a half. That thought lightened his heart because now he knew that they were close in age and also that she would have received her memories back and is probably awaiting his arrival.

He couldn't get close to her now, but his nightly observations gave him reason to believe that at last he'd located her quarters. The castle had been renovated with minor to major adjustments. The main structure was similar to the previous castle, however he noted many additional sections and towers that had been absent before. He'd have to see about locating all the secret passages again as well. He could try to get in as he was and ask for a meeting with her, but the guards probably wouldn't let him past the gates, not to mention he wanted to surprise her.

Until then, his best chance of reaching her was at the night of the gala. The guards would be focused around the throne room where the party was to take place, and Zelda always made her appearance last. He'd take that time she spent preparing to sneak into her in her rooms and shock the living daylights out of her.

The waiting was torture though. He cast one more look of longing at the castle and turned down the street, his slow strides bearing him away.

His route took him to the temple of time, and at this early hour it was unsurprisingly empty, too soon for even the priests and priestesses to pay their worship. He walked down the red carpet then bent to his knees in front of the dias. He closed his eyes and bowed his head in prayer, silently wishing for all to go well. He felt the triforce on his hand pulse under his glove in piety.

He knelt there for almost ten minutes before he was disturbed.

The large doors opened with a heavy groan and the clacking of heels followed as someone slipped inside.

"This is supposed to be a discreet excursion! How am I to be discreet with a bunch of pining dogs at my heels at all times!"

"But-"

The door slammed shut, cutting off whatever it was that the person outside was going to say. A male sigh echoed in the enormous room and then there was the soft padding of footsteps as he strolled down the carpet and came to kneel at Link's side before the dias.

Link went back to his prayers as the one beside him bowed his head and did the same. They stayed quiet for a full five minutes before the one beside him sat back on his heels and exhaled a puff of air.

"Guards. Can't stand them," the man said. "More like leeches, I say. Persistent, don't let go unless you forcibly remove them, and unsavory in character that's for sure."

Link shifted. Must be the son of some rich noble to have guards tailing him. He set to ignore him as best he could.

"Should do away with the lot, would serve them all right," said the man, the rustling of fabric accompanying his statement. "Praying to the Goddesses are you?"

Link released a slow controlled breath. "That is usually what people do when they enter a holy temple."

"You been here long?"

"A short while, yes," said Link shortly, wanting to get back to his prayers.

The man sighed woefully. "Ah, well. You'll probably be leaving soon then. I, however, must stay for a full thirty minutes, at the least."

"Then it's best to use the time wisely and pray," Link said tersely, slitting his eyes open and peering at the man. He was concealed by a massive cloak too large for his frame, his hood was up and it partially covered his face. Link spotted a sharp jaw and pointed chin, above which a thin mouth was set in a dour frown, wrinkling his nose. That was all Link could see of his face from his profile. By his personality Link could determine that he was haughty and impatient, used to getting his way. Sure signs of a noble.

"Thing is," said the noble sitting back with his legs crossed. "It shouldn't really matter how long I pray, should it? I only ever need a few words to thank the Goddesses. I hardly think they'd grant me additional favor if I planned a long speech for them, inserting unnecessary verbatim that could lead to confounding and mix the message I'm trying to get across. No added frivolities, straight to the point. Makes it easier on them as well, seeing as they have to listen to everyone else's prayers. Can you imagine how many thousands of long daunting pleas they have to get through a day? Overworked and underpaid, that's what it is. Our poor Goddesses. Need a chance at respite. The least I can do is cut back their workload a tad."

"You don't have to pray the entirety of the time," Link said, becoming defensive. "As long as you're there to bask in their presence…"

"Yes, I suppose… Yes, that works. I always do have a rough time thinking up things to say. Usually I just daydream through it all. And how anyone can live through weekly masses is beyond me. An hour long ritual… makes us seem like some sort of cult!"

"Participating in a religious practice is not the same as a cult," stated Link.

"But it is dreadfully boring."

Why was he talking religion with a noble boy? Back in the day one would hardly ever find a noble and peasant conversing on such pleasant and casual terms. He was glad to some degree that progress had been made to bridge the gap in treatment. When it had been instated as a new law it had really been a struggle to put aside status discriminations. Even still, there were those who remained opposed to the idea, saying that nobles and peasants just didn't mingle.

Although mingling with this noble was more of a nuisance.

Link hoisted himself up to his feet. "I should be going now."

"Ah, yes, you do that," the noble waved and Link rushed out of the temple.

He passed the guards waiting at the doors and hurried down the street. It was early morning, and many of the townsfolk had pulled themselves out of bed and were up and about. Link reached the inn and snuck through the window of his room. Vrel was sleeping soundly on the bed, having not once stirred or awakened. Of course he wouldn't. Link had covertly bought a small pouch of sleeping powder as Vrel and Adra had been picking at the treats at the sweet stand, and had dissolved a bit in Vrel's drink that night at supper.

He'd have an hour or so before Vrel actually showed signs of waking.

Link plopped down on his bead, falling asleep instantly. He'd gotten little sleep between exploring the town with Vrel and Adra, and snooping around the castle. He'd savor as much rest as he could.

* * *

As the night of the gala drew near Link grew more and more restless. Vrel and Adra had yet to attribute his fidgeting to anything worthwhile, but had definitely noticed something about him that screamed out of character. More out of character than he'd been for the past while at least.

The evening of the gala Link was then confronted with a new problem. But he had a plan to overcome it.

Link thudded down the stairs to the pub and found Adra and Vrel occupying a table laden with the night's dinner.

He strode past them. "I'm going out for a walk."

Adra chocked on her drink. "At this time? Where in Hyrule would you go? Most of the shops are closed."

"Oh, hush, Adra. You know he's been eyeing the stables. Those horses are really something, you know. I wouldn't mind getting one for myself, if it didn't cost so ruddy much at least."

Thankful for Vrel's interference, Link waved at Odol, who beamed and waved back at him, and exited into the twilit night. He walked along the street then backtracked down an alley that led off directly behind the inn. He cast a glance around, standing in the area where the waste was taken out and food was delivered, making sure that no one was in sight.

Deftly, he took out his hookshot, aimed it and fired. It dug firmly into the wood of the windowsill and with a click the latch released and pulled him up. Silently, he crept into his room, he'd left the shutters open just for this reason, and began tearing off his tunic. He stripped himself to dress in the magnificent fineries he'd discovered in one of his pouch pockets, courtesy of Queen Zora. The cloth enlarged as he brought it out. He drew it over his head then paused momentarily, tugging it off in shock.

"Why that damned Queen." Link stared with incredulous fascination at the neat navy blue stitches on the inside of the collar, right where the nape of his neck would touch. "She said only the zora armor, she never mentioned signing the others."

An evident _Q. Helerra_ stared back at him, the glossy threads a direct taunt from afar. He'd have to see about getting it removed later, right now he hadn't the time. It rankled him that he'd have to attend the gala knowing _that_ was on his clothes.

When he had finished dressing, his skin brushing against the finer fabric, he gleaned himself in the mirror admiring the stunning apparel. A teal blue tunic done up with gold buttons on one side and latching at the collar where hung a pair of small tassels. The Queen had also added the necessary accessories and formal boots needed to complete the look. His sword he secured to the belt at his waist, along with his magic pouches.

He had just finished fastening the golden epaulets to his shoulders when steps on the stairs alerted him. Hastily he stuffed his regular clothes inside his sack and threw it under his bed. Then he shot out of the window into the night air.

Hours ago he had determined that if he wanted to have access to the castle, he'd have to attend the gala as a noble. Maybe he'd surprise Zelda with a dance. Ah, he doubted his patience would last that long. Soon, very soon, he'd see her again. See her, and then what?

Improvise, he decided. Improvisation consisting of a lot of affection.

As it was drawing closer to the end of summer, the nights had become longer. It was early evening, about an hour and a half before the guests would be seated to dine, and an hour before Zelda would make her appearance.

Link roamed among the nobles in the throne room, frantically searching his mind for a plan to bypass the guards to the royal wing. He attracted many stares, particularly those among the feminine persuasion. A group of noblewomen giggled behind their fans as he glanced in their direction. His gaze shifted over them to the zora proxy who'd been sent in place of Queen Helerra.

"Why does the Queen not come herself? Surely her presence is merited by an event like this?" said a stout nobleman, possibly one of the ministers on the council.

The zora sighed as if he'd reiterated all this before. "Our Queen deeply apologizes, but she has been unwell as of late and should not be out of the water for too long. The travel would wear her down and only further her illness."

The nobleman scoffed. "That woman is as resilient as they come. Surely it cannot be all that dire?"

The zora let out a subtle sigh before his eyes caught Link's and recognition flashed through him. "Excuse me, my Lord Haxley. There is something to which I must attend."

Lord Haxley cleared his throat. "Very well, very well. Off with you now. Be sure to notify me if there is any change in her condition. It never does well to have an ill monarch."

"I shall," the zora nodded politely, before heading to meet Link.

Link stood off to the side and ducked behind one of the white-marbled pillars as the zora approached him.

"Hero," the zora greeted quietly, and Link was grateful for his hushed tone. "I am Byron, of Queen Helerra's court."

"Queen Zora is not really sick, is she?" asked Link with a small level of concern to his voice.

But the zora shook his head. "No, of course not. She will remain within the domain to protect it until the evil has passed. I am surprised to see you here, many of us had thought you'd gone to investigate the evil lord's whereabouts."

Link glanced away shiftily. "There are things that I must consider that come first." He observed all the guests within the throne room. Both of them grew silent as a gaggle of women slowly passed them by. Link tugged at his cuffs and spoke once they'd gone. "Has there been any recent changes?"

Byron shook his head. "Not any to note. Although some of the zoras at Lake Hylia say that the magic surrounding the temple has been fluctuating as of late. And recently they unearthed a hidden cavern beneath the waters. Queen Helerra has sent a squad to explore it."

Link paused as the same gaggle of women made a second pass over their location. Inwardly, the feeling of unease settled on him, like a dark shroud that covered his vision and left him blind. He was grappling for answers. Something was different this time around. Ganondorf was waiting for something. The question now was what? What could possibly be allaying his moment of attack? And did he act on pre-examined memories, or was it fateful delay?

"I need to see Zelda," he muttered, then said this fortified. "I need to see the regent. If there is anything fishy – and I mean that in the lightest of senses – going on in Hyrule it would have been brought to her attention straight away. I need a clear picture to work with."

"But – hero-" Byron started, and jumped as Link placed a hand on his blue-scaled shoulder.

"I shall return soon, possibly within the hour. We shall discuss this further with Princess Zelda in attendance," said Link and on that note he spun away avoiding the same women who'd batted their eyes at him earlier and taking to the halls.

It had been as simple as filching an invitation from one of the noblemen hovering in conversation at the door, then being announced as someone he wasn't – nobody ever really paid attention, they'd only look up when the princess was announced - and being granted entrance. Roaming the corridors wasn't exactly disallowed, as there were instances when a few of the nobles may desire a small reprise from the heat and noise of the full room. But there were places that had been sanctioned off as restricted areas. The royal wing was one of them.

Peeking around the corner, he spied a watch guarding the door, above which rested a depiction of the Harkinian emblem, the spread of a bird with the triforce hovering over it.

He scooted back as one of the guards looked his way and breathed out when the alarm wasn't sounded. Now what?

He reached under his tunic. He hadn't wanted to resort to this, but no alternative ideas were forthcoming. He withdrew his bomb bag from his belt and pulled out a bomb. He lit it from the fires of a brazier, and rolled it down the corridor, away from the guards. A few beats later it detonated, blasting an orifice into the stone.

"What was that!"

Link ducked into an alcove behind the statue of a large-billed bird as one of the guards came racing down the hallway. He saw the damage done then flew off after his unknown quarry. One guard remained to stand sentinel over the door, head poised and alert. Link initiated the same action and let another bomb roll. As it exploded the guard snapped out his sword.

"Taldus! He's retraced his steps! Quick, this way!" He shot off down the hallway and veered left down a perpendicular one. Not long after the first guard sprinted after him.

Coast clear, Link mentally patted himself on the back, a job well done, and slithered into the royal wing.

Zelda's room would be on the top floor, the best point of advantage for viewing the happenings down in the square. She always did love watching the people as they went about their days. It made her feel closer to them, as if she was truly guarding them from on high.

He emerged at the end of a long corridor, and a navy blue rug led him towards a white-polished door bearing the crest of the royal family, and to what he suspected were Zelda's chambers.

This was it... the moment of reckoning, what he'd suffered and endured years of waiting for. Finally, he would be reunited with his love.

Trepidation ate at him as he grasped the handle and twisted. Pushing the door open, he slipped inside. He could barely distinguish the vague outlines of furniture scattered about the room. A dead hearth in one corner made him realize just how cold it was in here.

He delved further in, hesitating only a second before twisting the knob on her bedroom door. He expected to see her sitting at her vanity, all dolled up and waiting for the hour she was to go down to the gala, but the seat was empty. Darkness pervaded, but for a small amount of illumination that filtered through the balcony window, casting subtle glows on a bed covered with a white sheet, the drapes having been removed. Standing in the center, Link took in the similarly covered desk and wardrobe, a fine layer of dust having settled over it. The air was musty and stale, as if it hadn't had any ventilation for a while.

It came upon him then. This wasn't her room. He must have chosen the wrong one, his memories of her preferences and habits having confounded the notion that he could have been wrong.

He strode to the balcony, watching the lights of the town through the muggy glass. He'd have to keep searching then.

The sudden click of the door as the bolt latched brought his attention to the other presence in the room. Heart rate skyrocketing, hopeful, and nervous all at once, he swiveled around, his gaze eager.

"Zelda?"

"Zelda? I think not," a voice replied, a soft tenor that tugged at Link's memories.

A shadowed figure stood in front of the door. Link's eyes had adjusted to the dimness but still he couldn't quite make out the person's identity.

Then the figure stepped forward into the light, and Link suddenly felt his world falling away.

Sheik tilted his head, appearing to consider him, golden locks falling over the right half of his face. He brushed them away casually as he inquired. "Who are you?"

* * *

**A/N: Vivienne is a bit of a badass isn't she? She's really fun to write.**

**And Sheik, oh my! I'm going to leave it at that. Don't want to give anything away. ;)**

**Thank you all for reading, I hope you all enjoyed! **

**Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I had to rewrite this around five times and still it feels like a 'meh'. Finally, though, it has everything that I wanted to address in it. I had to do research to find out all of the minister positions. I must have referred to at least 3 different resources and picked what I wanted from each. Juuni Kokki was a great help for that.**

**Thanks to those who reviewed: Generala, ObscurityProject, Death Waltz, Dellange, Flik98, and BloodSpire! Hugs and kisses to you all!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Link blinked, incredulously. The person who stood before him was almost an exact replica of Sheik from the hero of time's era, nix the bandages and ninja suit. The same frond of shimmering gold hair drooped over his right eye, which he habitually swiped away in annoyance, his jaw line was sharp, leading to a pointed chin, and he possessed the same low cultured voice. However, there were slight differences as well. His red eyes, for instance, had been traded in for a pair of ice blue ones, and yet the same shape and depth of them remained. He was pale-skinned rather than tanned, and markedly taller than what he used to be. What struck him the most was his attire. His clothes were that befitting a kingly station, and he bore them well, his pose regal and upright.

Sheik strode forward and it was then that Link noticed a hand wrapping around the hilt of a sword.

"Not to be rude, - although if I do say so, I pull that off rather marvelously – but I believe you have the wrong quarters," Sheik said stonily, scrutinizing him. "What have we here? A foe? A questionable character set to defile a sweet maiden's chastity? Blackguard," he hissed with all sorts of revulsion and disgust reflected in his tone.

Link blinked. When had Sheik become so… so pompous? He sounded exactly like one of those frilly nobles that Link used to contend with as King, dainty men who passed out when they found the smallest speck of dirt on their sleeves. It was a stark contrast from his former serious and simple mannerism. The Sheik he'd known had been austere but at the same time steadfast and sincere.

This one was a wild card. Link had no idea what to expect.

Link touched a hand to his own sword, ready to draw it at any action taken on Sheik's part. He determined to soothe things over before they got out of hand. "My apologies, I had not meant to intrude. I merely wanted to locate the regent's chambers." He winced. That did sound incriminating. He should have worded it better.

Sheik took a step forward. "Why? So you could assassinate him? I think not!"

Link was taken aback, both by the vehemence in Sheik's voice and because of something he'd said. _Him_? "Him?" he iterated out loud. "What in Hyrule are you talking about?"

He hastily slid his foot back as Sheik drew his sword, the zing of metal piercing in the hollow chamber. "No, the question is what are you talking about?"

"You said _him_. But then, who's the regent?" Link's mind whirred as his thoughts took a mental turnover. He wanted to doubt it but all signs pointed to that one obvious fact and he dared not think about it, not until it was confirmed or denied.

Sheik tossed his hair and flipped his sword. His voice was smug. "Ah, I see that you've come to the correct conclusion. Yes, _I_ am the regent."

Sheik was the regent? But then what about Zelda? She'd always pictured somewhere in the forefront of Hyrule politics, always as the acting regent, always in line to become Queen. For a second that horrible remembrance of her premature death infiltrated his mind like a festering wound. After she had died and Hyrule reclaimed by the people a relation of hers had assumed the throne in her stead. Her death had penetrated the people and the land like a piercing arrow driven in their hearts, but the monarchy had to be resurrected in order for Hyrule to thrive. What if that small change had affected the cycle of rebirths, what if because her direct line had ended, she had not been reborn?

Or what if…

It was a hopeful and a loathsome consideration, one that made him squeamish on the inside. His eyes trailed down briefly to Sheik's flat chest, then darted back up. Sheik had been Zelda's counterpart long ago. With the assistance of her guardian, Impa, and using sheikah magic she was enabled to transform her body to that of a man's. Sheik and Zelda were forever one and the same, and if that still remained the truth of the matter… He stared at Sheik, eyes dilated widely to absorb any trace of light they could in the dark, and tried to detect any hint of Zelda in there. But it couldn't possibly be. What point would she have to masquerade as a man, unless if she had been born one? But he was not so prepared to latch on to that deduction.

"Do you know, Zelda? Is she a relation of yours?" Logic implied that since she had not continued the direct line, perhaps she was not born to it. Maybe she was from a branch family?

Sheik looked cross. "No, I've never heard of the woman." His tone then went dark. "Unless, you're referring to the lovely rulers of old, of which I am descended from. And I must say that if you came looking to defile them I'd be rather disturbed."

"No cousin? Second cousin? Distant relation?" Link urged, not yet willing to give up. But he knew he was grasping at straws.

"Enough!" Sheik snarled, snapping his sword horizontally then pulling back. "It is evident that whatever you seek your intentions are impure."

"No, I-"

"You meant to find the regent, and here I am," said Sheik sardonically, spreading his arms, then circled his sword and bringing it about so that he looked down its length at Link. "Prepare yourself, assassin. I shall take pleasure in your dismemberment!"

He attacked. Link sidestepped and twirled, bringing his sword to clash with Sheik's as he swung around. Sheik let loose a raged flurry of strikes and Link met them, parrying expertly against the barrage. Steel flashed as moonlight glinted off the weapons. Sheik feinted to the right, then shot back and booted Link in the lower abdomen. Caught off guard, Link gasped and retreated, hopping aside and flipping backwards out of the way. He clutched at his stomach, feeling the tenderness as the beginnings of an impressive bruise formed. He gazed widely at the man. He had not expected such underhanded tactics from Sheik of all people.

Rather, no such underhandedness had been directed before at him.

He reminded himself that Sheik had once been a sheikah, first and foremost, and sheikah utilized whatever means to ensure their success. Victory preceded honor in their values. That was one of the reasons why they'd been so looked down upon at court, but protection for the royal family necessitated their actions.

Sheik spun around, arching a thin eyebrow. "Fancy maneuver. I may or may not be impressed."

Link smirked and straightened, ignoring the pain. "You've seen nothing yet. I have more up my sleeves."

"We'll see about that."

Link became more cautious as Sheik assailed him once more. The sound of metal slabs greeting one another in ringing collisions resounded against the walls. Link moved as he had practiced, all those hours of training coming to fruition against an adversary who he didn't even consider an enemy, but who seemed rather intent on ending his life, or at the very least, rendering him powerless. The room filled with their muted grunts. At one point Sheik might have actually succeeded in his claim to dismember him as one of his strike's would have cleaved off his sword arm had Link not blocked it in time. Sheik continued to barrage him, incorporating punches and kicks whenever the opportunity arose and Link defended.

It was evident the Sheik was well versed in swordsmanship, a particular statement brought to reality as he successfully drew first blood. With shear force, Link shoved his weight behind his blade and Sheik skidded back. Both men stood staring at each other, panting like dogs, the exertion taking its toll. Link touched his hand to his left forearm where his tunic had been sliced and a line of blood seeped out.

"I intend no harm," Link said breathily, eyeing his opponent with wary cautiousness.

Sheik delayed his answer to snatch a moment of respite, but then he raised his sword, both hands grasping the hilt. "Oh yes? We'll see about that." Executing a maneuver that Link hadn't considered possible, Sheik jumped on the armoire, and continuing his momentum, ran horizontal against the _wall_, flipping off he landed behind Link, directly before the pair of glass doors that led to the balcony. The light of the moon shadowed his features.

Sheik brought his sword point downwards and dove. Link was ready and performed a backflip in order to evade him. The tip of Sheik's sword scraped against the floor, igniting sparks. Furious, Sheik swiped once and held his sword aloft over his head.

That was when things got messy. The windows shattered, Sheik aborted his attack and both he and Link covered themselves at the sudden onslaught of glass and debris. The massive mounds of dust kicked up, clouding the room and throwing them into a coughing fit.

"What in Hyrule?" said Sheik hacking into his fist. The dust settled and his coughing receded. He swerved around only to be met with a fist to his jaw.

Sheik yelped and fell back against the bed, scrambling for the post so that he wouldn't fall onto the glass-strewn floor.

Two dark cloaked figures wearing Keaton masks entered through the aperture. Their hands sparked with dark magic and Link reacted.

"Sheik, look out!"

Within the space of a second, Link jumped in, grasped Sheik by the tunic and heaved him out of harms way, while at the same time bringing up his sword to deflect the attack.

The masked figures pulled back, as their assault was interrupted, then reengaged with coarse vigor, one of the masked beings unearthed a pair of dual broadswords from beneath his cloak, the other drew a tarnished straight sword. Link stood his ground, the glass beneath his boots crunching as he took his stance.

Sheik recovered from the brusque treatment and stood gazing at Link incredulously. "What did you call me?"

Link grimaced at the demanding tone. He had slipped up. Having nothing else to address him as, he'd regressed to his mental depiction of him. It was very likely though that this man was in fact not Sheik and had taken the mistaken identity as a slight.

No matter, they didn't have time to discuss it now.

"Who are you?" he said, but the masked figures' only response was to charge at him.

The enemy accosted him on two fronts, the one spinning his dual blades expertly and the other using predominantly slicing and slashing motions meant to carve flesh. It had been a while since Link had done battle against multiple foes all at once, and as much as he acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of thrill. The cry of battle sang through his veins, and he answered it with relish. These weren't Sheik, they were assassins, and he didn't have to use primarily defensive methods, he was free to actively attack. He grinned and stared down at the incoming duo.

He struck as the one with the dual blades engaged him, attempting to push him into his companion's attack. The masked beings sought to manipulate the fight and drive him towards the shattered balcony doors, but Link made it his goal to keep himself firmly planted between the assassins and Sheik, their obvious target.

In a sudden move, one of the assassins got the upper hand and knocked Link to the ground. Link shimmied backwards as the pointed blade tore a rift down the front of his formal wear. The assassin commenced a finishing blow but then another blade intercepted its trajectory, swiping it aside. Sheik stood over him, his arms trembling as he held against the force of the assassin. With a roar and a mighty shove, he sent him tottering away.

"You called me Sheik, didn't you?" Sheik said, accusation lacing his tone. But then, the second assassin swooped in. While Sheik's attention was diverted, the first assassin snuck up to his unprotected side, hands igniting with that same black magic.

Link rolled back and executed a kick up, which knocked the assassin right in the face. His left heel caught him on the neck and momentarily sealed his airway. While the assassin clutched laboriously at his throat, working to catch his breath, Link seized him in a strangle-hold. He tossed him over his shoulder and threw him to the ground. The assassin's head thudded hard against the floor. He lay unmoving, thoroughly knocked out.

Link turned his sights to the battle with Sheik and the remaining assassin, noticing that the later was fast becoming overwhelmed. In a lithe flowing movement, Sheik side-stepped the assassin's maddened thrust and bore the hilt of his blade down between the shoulder blades. The assassin let out a mangled groan, and was forced down. Sheik followed up bringing a strong leg upwards in a swooping curve before slamming his heel in the same place, causing the assassin to collapse fully, splayed out on the ground.

_Well, now I know that he can hold his own_, thought Link smiling candidly. _Not that the little bout before hadn't already implied that._

Sheik waited to see whether the assassin would get up.

"Filthy brutes," Sheik snorted as he stepped over the assassin's prone form, dusting himself off as if he had merely taken a tumble.

How could he trivialize an attempt on his life like that?

He met Link's eyes and Link guardedly tightened his hold around his blade. Sheik's eyes flicked to the motion then back up, but he did not resume his belligerent behavior. Instead he lifted a fisted hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. "Now then-"

Frantic shouting accompanied by the muffled sound of pounding footsteps carried from beyond the suite. Sheik heaved a long-suffering sigh and jammed his sword back within its scabbard. He stood erect, hands clasped behind his back, and tossed Link a cynical smile.

"Ah, Hyrule's great defenders. At last," he said sardonically and clearly implying through his tone how unimpressed he was.

Link straightened slowly but kept his sword out as the door was thrown open to a flood of armored guards, bearing torches and swords unsheathed and held aloft threateningly. They looked at Sheik then at Link and pointed their blades at him. They had yet to notice the two unconscious men in the room. The shadows and their dark cloaks concealed them. Sheik sighed.

There was a clamor from the rear as someone forced their way through.

"Out of the way, out of the way! Step aside!" a man emerged, face pale and gaunt, he was skinny and reminded Link rather of a stick bug, tall and square. His clothes gave his position as a high class noble.

"Your highness!" he exclaimed, and rushed forward to inspect the regent. "Are you all right? When you didn't appear at the gala lord Haxley nearly threw a fit. We have the others calming him down as well as the other guests while I went in search for you. I arrived as soon as I could." He cast his eyes around, taking in the state of the room. His face paled even further in the faint glow of the torches as he glanced down at the scattered glass then landed his gaze at Link. "You! What have you done to his highness?! I swear, if you so dared as to lay a hand on him you will be punished severely."

Sheik scoffed with all manner of pomp. "I assure you that I am unharmed. Relatively. Really lord Kincaid, there is no need to overreact. As you can see, my friend and I are quite sufficient at protecting ourselves."

He stepped aside then swept his hand out, directing their attention to the unconscious being on the floor.

Lord Kincaid stared in shock then jabbed a bony finger at the body. "Guards, seize this vermin!"

The soldiers pounced. The assassin's arms were grasped and he was lifted to hang limping between two of the men, while another guard relieved the assassin of his weapons.

"There's another over here," Link offered and watched the same actions taken towards that assassin.

The assassins were jostled and dragged out of the room, both stayed unconscious.

"My Goddesses, the girl was right!" said lord Kincaid, befuddled.

Sheik sighed, smiling languidly. "Indeed. Did I not tell you that a smart ruler heeds the words of all his subjects? Especially if they bear warning of an imminent attack. Best not to take anyone lightly. Could you imagine if I had not come prepared and was taken by surprise in my own rooms? Considerable damage has been done, it would have been horrible had my chambers been torn apart like this."

Link frowned, puzzled. "Then you were aware there'd be an attempt on your life?"

Sheik moved the vanity chair aside and walked forward. "A warning had come from a tavern girl who'd overheard a conversation. At first I had thought the assassin was you, but then these two came and I realized that I'd been mistaken."

No. He had changed his mind when Link had uttered _that_ name. Which implied that he was familiar with it. Link acknowledged the meaningful gaze that Sheik sent him and gave a subtle nod. Sheik didn't want it blurted out before anyone else. He had a feeling that Sheik would want a long chat about it come later.

"How do you know that this man is not working with them, your highness? He could be a spy, sent to gain your trust and then kill you when your guard is down," lord Kincaid said skeptically, staring at Link through slit eyes.

Sheik threw his head back and laughed. "Are you serious? Don't be preposterous, this man is a dear friend of mine."

"Really?" said lord Kincaid dubiously. "I've never seen him before. What's your name, sir?"

Not versed in the ways of extracting information was he? He should have directed the question towards Sheik in order to verify the allegation. What did Sheik intend by forging this connection between them. "I am Link."

"Just Link?"

Sheik cleared his throat abruptly. "Anyways, for the past few weeks I've been spending my nights within this suite in order to lure them out."

So the one who'd been occupying this section of the royal wing had been Sheik? It seemed that Link as well had been fooled.

"And then you jumped the bow," an elderly woman's voice broke in. She stood framed by the doorway and compared to her stature it looked like the threshold of a goron dwelling. She was short and stooped over and walked with the support of a cane. "Always an impulsive little brat you were. Couldn't wait for the trap to be set in place, you wanted to face them alone, with no back up."

Sheik folded his arms. "I had Link. What other back up did I need."

But the old woman just raised a cynical eyebrow.

"Lady Brula, that is no way to address the Prince of Hyrule," said lord Kincaid, snappishly. He froze as Brula's eyes flicked to him, a piercing red in the dim light. Automatically the remaining soldiers stiffened and lord Kincaid's face lost its remaining bit of color.

A sheikah!

"Yes, yes, you were right. I should have waited," said Sheik, striding forward. "Let us just go. I have to tidy up for the gala. Goodness knows I'm quite the sight to behold. This would surely give lord Haxley an aneurysm."

They exited the chambers, Sheik taking the lead. He was immediately stifled by a huddle of guards as lord Kincaid made a hand motion and they jumped to surround him. Sheik sighed.

They traveled along the blue-carpeted hallway then descended down a set of stairs. Upon arriving at the second floor they came upon the guards who had taken the assassins away. They stood arguing and gesturing madly, and some appeared fearful.

Link tensed, scanning around. The prisoners were nowhere to be seen.

"What in all of Hyrule!" lord Kincaid scowled.

Sheik took stock of the situation and parted through the defensive circle of befuddled guards. "Silence!"

The guards automatically snapped to attention, gazes flickering around and shifting nervously.

Link studied them, how they all avoided looking directly at Sheik and how they trembled noticeably as if they knew they were in trouble.

"What is all this commotion for? Have my captains trained a rabble of incompetent cuccos?" Sheik's voice and the blatant insult made them all flinch. "And where are the prisoners?" Sheik said more urgently.

The guards stiffened, one paled so much it looked as if he might faint.

"Well? Speak up men! You! Tell his highness what's going on!" ordered lord Kincaid.

The man he'd pointed to hesitantly took a step forward. Link braced himself for what was coming. "Your highness. It isn't what it looks like."

"I see my men, Hyrule's greatest warriors quarrelling like a bunch of cuccos. I see them tense and afraid, and I see that there are two very missing and dangerous criminals," said Sheik coldly. "Do you or do you not admit that you've allowed the captives to escape?"

"No – no, your highness. They've not escaped, they've both…they've – they've both…disappeared…"

"Disappeared?" asked Link abruptly.

"Disappeared," the guard replied, and the others quickly nodded in affirmation.

"How did they disappear?" pressed Link, and Sheik eyed him thoughtfully then turned to listen as well.

"We were heading towards the dungeons, doing as ordered, then suddenly there was nothing to hold on to. They turned into a large cloud of smoke," he explained, sweating profusely from being put on the spot.

"What color was the smoke?"

Another guard spoke up. "It was both black and purple, and it was dry, like the sort when you kill one of those monsters out in the fields and they go poof. But I swear these were human."

"So they vanished as a monster does when you kill it?" Sheik affirmed.

"Exactly."

"Preposterous!" shot lord Kincaid. "No human or hylian just vanishes in a puff of smoke! They must have teleported using black sorcery!"

"They weren't awake," said the guard.

Lord Kincaid rounded on him and the guard drew back in fright. "Then they must have been summoned!"

Most monsters' bodies upon death either turned into a cloud of smoke immediately or after a short to lengthy lag, which dissipated into the atmosphere, or their bodies faded over a few minutes. The assumption that they had teleported could be discarded for the simple argument that the guard had provided, and a summoning was just as unlikely due to the fact that it generates an extensive burst of magic from the subject being summoned and Link had not sensed any such discharge.

But for the assassins to die a monster's death…

"There is nothing we can do for now," said Sheik, turning towards the line of guards. "All of you return to your duties. Lord Kincaid, I want you to go back to the gala and inform anyone who asks that I've been delayed and will arrive shortly. Do this with as little disruption as possible. See that you keep your emotions in check, no need to arouse the people's panic. Brula and Link are to come with me."

The last was an order that Link couldn't refuse. The guards obeyed and split off back to their posts. Lord Kincaid looked as if he wanted to argue, but a stern glare from Brula quickly sent him scurrying off.

Sheik took them to his personal suite and once there slammed the door before the guards could even make to enter. Brula pressed a wrinkled old hand to the door and the air pulsed as Link sensed a sheet of magic sown around them, bursting out and clinging to the walls, ceiling, and floor like a skulltula web.

Sheik sighed. "Persistent little leeches, I tell you," he said, gesturing at the door.

Wait a moment. Leeches?

"You're the man from the temple," Link said in realization and at this Sheik quirked an eyebrow, frowning in confusion before enlightenment shone in his eyes.

"Ah, I remember. So you're the stingy one who was praying to the Goddesses that day. I thought I had recognized you."

Now that it had been confirmed he was able to draw the comparisons and match them up. He had that same overbearing attitude as the man in the temple, also the same jaw structure and voice.

"See Brula. Now if that stuffy lord asks, you can confirm that Link and I have become friends long before this little affair took place."

Brula nodded, although the expression on her wrinkled face was not impressed. "Indeed. And why is it that you saw fit to befriend a complete stranger? Who are you really? You dress as a nobleman but I can say for certain that you are not on the guest list."

The most distinguishing feature that the Sheikah's possessed were their steely red eyes. Brula's shone cold as blood now – if such a thing were possible -, and they were boring a hole right into his head.

"Now Brula, no need for interrogation," chastised Sheik as he pulled a cord on the wall. "My attendants will be here shortly. In the meantime, Link, I would like you to tell me how you know that name."

"What name?" snapped Brula in a sharp tone.

Sheik leered at him. "When those fiends had struck, you referred to me as Sheik, a name associated with one of my ancestors of old, her alter ego having been kept a well-guarded secret throughout Hyrule history. Only the direct line of Harkinians and the those of the Sheikah race know of it."

A silence permeated the air. Link tried to gauge Brula's reaction but she appeared neutral.

"Reveal your left hand," she said impartially, spurring Sheik's interest.

"Surely you don't believe-" started Sheik, astounded. "He couldn't possibly be-"

Frowning, but faced with little choice, Link torpidly fingered the hem of his glove and slipped it down, flashing the golden emblem on the back of his hand.

Brula's features tightened as Sheik gasped sharply. "Great lovely Goddesses!"

Link quickly replaced his glove. "What you saw doesn't leave this room. Please, that is one request that you must abide."

The old woman nodded and made sure that Sheik did the same. "It shall be as you say, great hero."

Sheik turned on her. "Great? He has yet to do anything." His face fell as he threw an arm over his eyes in sudden realization. "Gorgeous Farore! This means that Hyrule is headed towards ruin! My crown will be handed over to some evil overlord!"

"That is something I've been wondering," said Link at once. "The legends always depict a princess who aids the hero with his exploits, however there is only…" he trailed eyeing Sheik with wary distress.

Sheik proudly puffed his chest out. "Alas, I am no princess, however I do hope I make a suitable alternative."

Brula smacked his thigh with her cane. "Presumptuous fool," she said scowling. "As for the princess, I'm afraid that no such being exist presently. How that will affect future events, I do not know."

"Then, she is…" Link trailed.

He was crushed, his heart shattering to pieces as an immense sorrow filled his being. His mind became blank, thinking became too unbearable as his thoughts constantly drifted to that last moment he shared with her, witnessing the light fleeing her eyes as her body became an empty casket. Then denial set in. She couldn't be truly gone…

"Is that this Zelda character you've been going on about?" asked Sheik ostentatiously, ignorant to Link's bereavement. He went on jauntily. "Rather forward of you, trying to sneak in and see her. I imagine she'd be quite appalled."

Was this punishment from above? The Goddesses adjudicating that he was a wretched man and undeserving of her for his felony against their vows? Then it was merited. The Goddesses had every right to enact suffering upon him. In ways worse than death, it was he who had shattered her light.

Brula darted her eyes towards Link, brow pinched with concern. Link looked away, he didn't need the sheikah's pity, and if they still remained as sly and formidable as they had been years ago she'd already know about the rebirthing process and the fate of the hero and princess in their previous lifetime.

"How thoughtless of me, I have yet to formally introduce myself," said Sheik, taking a moment to smooth the wrinkles out of his shirt, a futile effort. "I am Prince Zellandus Harkinian Hyrule. A pleasure to make my acquaintance, I'm sure."

Zellandus? Link's ears perked up at hearing the familiar phonemes and his grief momentarily subsided. Again he thought, _could it be?_ It comprised of all the basic parts of her name. Just be rid of the _lan_ and replace _us_ at the end with an 'a' and it became her name. Perhaps destiny had blundered. It wouldn't be the first time he'd questioned the Goddesses plans.

"Although I am often referred to by my middle name, which is Goddrey, however I much prefer it abbreviated, so you may call me God."

Link blinked. If this was Zelda as a boy her personality had taken a major turnover. He'd have to wait and see. He did not know when Zelda as a male would get her memories back, but he'd wait if he had to. Wait with awkward anticipation…

"Your highness," said Link only to be cut off by a sigh from Zellandus who was shaking his head despairingly, one hand covering his face.

"Can nobody discard their sense of propriety?" he bemoaned, then declared abruptly. "Link, from herein I designate you as my personal bodyguard. Heh. Might keep those inept guards away, and get that meddling lord Kincaid off my case."

"Your highness!"

"Silence, Brula," said Zellandus, turning back to Link. "You fought with vigor, I wager you can defeat my best guards. Who better to protect me than the hero of legend himself?"

"I would do hardly well to serve you, your highness," said Link. "I allowed one of the assassins to get the upper hand on me. Such folly could mean your life."

"Yes, you were down, but the fight never left your control, did it? I saw that impressive display of skillset right after I stepped in."

True, he'd taken a fall and had scooted back to gain more room for the maneuver.

"What does the position entail exactly," asked Link.

Zellandus looked at him firmly. "That you become my shadow, my visible one that is. Your rooms shall be close to mine, you shall accompany me nearly everywhere I go, including on excursions that take me away from the castle, to court and to council meetings. Like the one the ministers will no doubt arrange for tomorrow, bright and early, as usual. Blasted larks."

It was an opportunity that he couldn't decline. By being the Prince's shadow he'd be privy to information concerning the state of Hyrule and be able to keep watch for signs of Ganondor's uprising. Not to mention he'd be able to keep an eye on the Prince as well.

"I would be honored," said Link.

Zellandus smiled and for a moment he looked so much like Sheik that Link caught his breath. He had the same crinkling around the eyes as his cheeks were raised, and with the way his hair fell in his face just so. With his blue irises he became a perfect physical mixture of both her personas, Sheik the warrior and Zelda the princess.

Link was pulled out of his daze when a knock sounded at the door. The Prince drew up smartly. Brula fixed them both with a steady gaze.

"We shall continue this later. We still have pressing matters to address, and you need to get to the gala."

Zellandus coughed into his hand. "You're right. Link, I want you to accompany me. Never know when there'll be another attack."

"Of course," Link said stiffly with a slight bow accompanying it.

Brula flicked her wrist and the magical barrier dissolved. She called the attendants in and they at once set to hovering around the Prince. Zellandus ushered for a few of them to attend to Link as well.

"Can't have you roaming about with a torn wardrobe. Would cause all the women to swoon."

Where Link's tunic had been cut the fabric hung open and exposed the form-fitting white shirt underneath. It hugged his torso and abdomen, clearly outlining every bump and ridge of muscle.

He saw what Zellandus meant.

For the next fifteen minutes the attendants worked to spruce him up, providing new clothes for him and a water basin to wash his face and hair, which carried smudges of dust. They offered a new pair of white gloves to replace his dirtied ones, which he traded in when their backs were turned as they fetched him oils to soften his skin. Link endured the pampering with little complaint, kingship having provided him the fortitude to deal with the invasion.

In moments he was ready and emerged from behind the screen to find Zellandus waiting for him, buttoning up his cuffs.

"All set? Come, the masses await."

They didn't encounter Brula on their way out, and for a small woman with a cane she managed to disappear rather quickly. The walk down the hallways was a quiet affair and Link felt no need to fill the silence. Once they reached the throne room a servant went to announce them.

Hitting the butt of a long black cane thrice, he called out. "His royal highness, Prince Zellandus Harkinian Hyrule!"

People's eyes drew to the pair as they stood at the threshold before the two massive gold encrusted doors that granted entrance to the throne room.

Link took a deep fortifying breath as Zellandus smiled at the guests and stood imperiously.

"This is a new battlefield we stand upon," whispered Zellandus supportively, making his way down the center. "Be careful of your words and do not take lightly what anyone has to say, chances are they have a deeper meaning. Speak only short replies when spoken to." He cinched his brows. "Actually, best for you not to speak at all. Mayhaps we can pass you off as a mute."

Link dutifully kept pace three steps behind him, standing upright with a passive bearing. Zellandus had no need to worry. As was fast becoming his personal adage: he'd done it all before.

He carried himself with poise during the gala, following the Prince around and interacting courteously with the guests. He did not notice the standoffish pair of eyes that trailed his every step, for they were one of many, nor did he realize that he had completely forgotten about the friends waiting for him back at the tavern.

* * *

"I say double the guards!" called out lady Rielle.

"No, it must be tripled," said lord Ivain. "It was a stroke of luck that your highness survived unharmed from the assassins. As it gets closer to the blessings ceremony there will be more attempts on your life."

"Cousins and others who wish to steal the throne," snorted lord Kincaid, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You all know its true. The only thing is there's never enough proof to identify and directly accuse anyone."

Link suppressed a yawn as he observed the five lords and three ladies seated in ornate chairs on either side of a long mahogany table, polished so well that their faces shone from its surface. He stood tall beside and behind Prince Zellandus on the left, as the Sheikah, Brula, mirrored him on the right.

He'd seen the frowns of the ministers as Zellandus had sauntered late into the council chamber, had heard them mutter in disapproval as the Prince thereon virtually sprawled across the larger and more extravagant seat reserved for the ruler and head of the council, cradling a glass of wine. He'd reclined, eyes half-lidded in premeditated boredom, chin resting on the back of his hand, and one leg hitched up over the armrest.

From the councilmembers's halfhearted words of rebuke, Link could assume that this was a common occurrence and a futile behavior to reverse. They settled down as Zellandus called to order.

Zellandus had been correct in assuming that the council would order a meeting soon after the gala. It had been set for seven o'clock in the morning, but Zellandus had refused to leave his bed until well after eight. Brula, as acting advisor and representative of the sheikahs, was required to attend as well and had relayed the events concerning the failed assassination attempt. She had stopped after telling them of the prisoner's disappearance and the theories behind them.

The council had set about arguing, not quite in full panic but nearly there, about suitable arrangements to be made and steps to take towards Zellandus' protection. Zellandus, for his part, ignored all that, and sat swirling his drink to bring out the aroma.

He briefly recalled Zellandus' vague descriptions of the council members. He observed them all in turn. Lady Rielle was the minister of stately affairs. Next to her seated on her right and left, respectively, were lord Ivain the minister of commerce and economy, and Lady Delmont the minister of judicial affairs. At the end of the table was the thin bug of a man the minister of ceremonies lord Kincaid.

On the opposite side of the table from closest to the head to the furthest away was Commander Shira of the Hyrulian army, also the minister of defense, Lord Foulkes the minister of foreign affairs and who acted as ambassador between nations, a heavyset man known as lord Perrington the minister of provincial affairs, and lastly Lord DeSange minister of intelligence.

"You are aware that this will increase taxes for the citizens," said Zellandus in a drawl-like manner. "I thought we agreed that the rate that they currently pay would be the maximum."

"Exceptions can be made in certain circumstances," said lady Rielle stiffly.

"But the citizens can't take it," defended lord Kincaid. "Winter will soon be upon us, by increasing the revenue they are left with less income with which to support themselves."

"Your highness, my soldiers will be willing to take extra shifts without payment. I can have them each volunteer two shifts a week," said Commander Shira.

"Really, commander, you can hardly spare a dozen of your soldiers," spoke lord Perrington, clasping his hands together over his protruding belly. "You've sent most of them to patrol the fields to stave off the sudden upsurge of monsters. You've none to volunteer."

In Zellandus's description of the ministers he had stated that of all of them lord Perrington was the major cause of his aggravation. Always quick to point out flaws, always with a rebuke, always first to disapprove, and always with an inflection of mockery to his tone. Another who was the source of constant vexation was the lord DeSange, and as the name implied he seemed an iniquitous character. He was perhaps the youngest member of the council, asides from the prince, with long black hair tied at the nape and flashing orange eyes which seemed to glow. Link couldn't help but feel troubled by him. His troubled feelings were only surmounted as the lord met his gaze and sent him a sharkish grin.

Zellandus did not look pleased and Brula was quick to discreetly tap him on the arm in warning. "Perhaps you have another suggestion then? Or does my safety not reside in your conscious efforts for the kingdoms benefit?"

"With all due respect, your highness, you have the shadows at your call. Surely you've not forgotten about the sheikah?" lord Perrington said snidely, glancing at Brula who ignored him fastidiously.

Zellandus took a sip of his drink. "They are not so prevalent in our society as you may believe. Let's just say, I use them for other matters."

"Other than for your protection?" cried lady Rielle, aghast. "Those sheikah dogs live to protect the royal family."

"Oh, but dogs can be useful for other things too. For instance, I often have them play fetch with lawbreakers and scoundrels. They also like to play with outspoken ministers. I can call them if you wish?"

A murmur of chuckles arose from the council as lady Rielle went silent, balling her hands and turning a bright red.

"No, I've already settled the matter," said Zellandus, indicating his wine chalice towards Link. "I've already chosen a suitable bodyguard. There shall be no need to employ more guards around the castle. The numbers we have suffice as it is."

Eyes turned to him and he tensed as he was considered under their gazes.

"This man?" called lady Rielle, shocked, her embarrassment all but forgotten. "And how suitable is he? What references does he have?"

"Lady Rielle, let's not get excited now," soothed lord Ivain. "I'm certain that his highness knows what he's doing. Remember, there's a tactical mind beneath all that pomp."

"Your highness, I must protest-" started lord Kincaid, staring sternly at Link.

"If you wish, you can have him evaluated or give him a probationary period in order to assess his suitability. But I maintain, I may not yet be King, but I am still the regent and head of this council, I have the final say."

"I believe that his highness's decision is to suit his own cocky impulses. Is this bodyguard legit, or are you really using him as a front from some self-perceived belief that you do not require the assistance?" sneered lord Perrington.

The room chilled as all of them felt the weight of his words. Lord Perrington waited for Zellandus's reply with a smug smile on his beefy face. It became cold as Zellandus slowly stood, his hand held his chalice abnormally still, and then turned to practically frigid as Zellandus used his chair as a foothold and stepped _onto_ the table. He walked down its length languidly, the other lords and ladies watching avidly as he stopped before lord Perrington, who sneered up at him unperturbed.

What happened next completely shocked them. Link's eyes widened as he watched Zellandus hold his chalice above the pompous lord's head and tilt it, pouring its remaining contents onto lord Perrington.

Lord DeSange burst out in laughter. Lord Perrington's face went from a befuddled shock to enraged fury all at once. His bottom lip trembled as if struggling with words that would not come out.

Zellandus did this all with a blank face and an air of nonchalance. "My. Word. Is. Law. This meeting is adjourned. Commander Shira, at your earliest convenience you shall assess Link and make certain that he holds to all the requirements of a good bodyguard."

"Y-yes, your highness."

"And my lord Perrington," said Zellandus, and lord Perrington winced. "You're welcome to watch to affirm his suitability. All of you are welcome to. Now leave, before you're all _permanently_ dismissed."

There was a clamor as chairs were pushed back and footsteps pounded for the door, the ministers leaving at once, none attempted to argue.

The room was vacated all but for Brula, the prince and Link. Zellandus released a drawn out sigh and pulled a kerchief from his sleeve to wipe his brow.

"That… was exhausting. And Link, I hope you know that my honor as a truthful man depends on you now. You'd better pass whatever test Commander Shira dishes out to you."

"I will do my best."

"Don't do your best, succeed!"

Oh, he would succeed. He'd leave them gawking as well. He wanted to ask Zellandus about that little wall running trick. Maybe he could astound them with that. But he didn't feel as if they were close enough yet to properly ask him.

"This is folly what you've gotten yourself into," spat Brula. "The worst thing a ruler can do is antagonize his council. They're the ones who advise and support you. You should not seek to create a rift between you and them."

"Such _great_ advice. And I wasn't antagonizing… I was teaching… yes, teaching. Lord Perrington needed a lesson and I, oh so generously, taught it to him. He deserved it too."

Link could see that Brula was suppressing a smile before pursing her lips. "For Hylia's sake, get off that table."

Zellandus shrugged and hopped off, using lord Perrington's chair to carry him down. The chair tipped over and none of them bothered to right it.

* * *

"That-that self-righteous brat! Who does he think he is! What insolence! That sanctimonious little swine!"

"Those are words of treason, my lord Perrington," said lord Dasril Foulkes nonchalantly as he watched lord Perrington pace back and forth, hands fisted and face puffed up in rage.

Lord Perrington rounded on him. "What we are doing is treasonous. And don't call me that! Don't say it that way! It sounds too much like that bastard of a prince!"

Dasril nodded. "Alceolus then."

Alceolus spluttered and it made Dasril think that he much preferred his title added to his name. He snarled and snapped at the only other person in the sequestered room, a hidden chamber in the lowest subterranean levels of the castle that he was sure even the king himself had not known about.

"And you! You were laughing!"

Lord Reth DeSange cast a wolfish grin, cocking his head as if in innocence. "You've cleaned up I see. You should learn when to keep your mouth shut, lest it cost you your finest doublet, or have you ordered the servants to clean it out? I wouldn't bother, you'd need magic to get rid of a wine stain."

"Then why don't you do it? Use your magic to, as you so eloquently put it, clean it out?" growled Alceolus.

Reth snorted and upturned his nose at that. "It would be a waste. It's not like you can't afford a new one. I see you at Mr. Martin's every other week getting fitted."

"You were nearly late, Alceolus. Had lord Xerthos arrived before you…" Dasril let that hang, the silence emphasizing the implications.

"Well, as it is, it appears that Vivienne will have to deal with those consequences," said Alceolus.

"Vivienne is currently on a mission therefore she has an excuse." A low voice pierced the chamber as a cloaked body manifested in the center with a swirl of black magic.

Alceolus jumped with fright, while Reth and Dasril straightened.

An all-consuming presence had entered the room. Xerthos was tall and imposing, with malignant green eyes and scars crisscrossing his face. Dasril thought he might have been handsome once, and under all those scars he might still be. Life had definitely taken its toll on him. The scars, he could deal with. What repulsed Dasril the most was the broiling waves of dark magic flowing off of him, like a torrent of foulness.

When he'd first met Xerthos he hadn't known that he was a brilliant sorcerer who'd been banished from his own country. Hadn't known that he'd murdered innocent people, kidnapped them off the streets and used them in experiments and magical rituals. Hadn't known that the ultimate means of power could be found in Hyrule and that Xerthos was after it. But that was all in the past. Dasril knew better now, was more informed the deeper he played into Xerthos's plans.

They'd been soon joined by Vivienne. An exemplary sorceress who'd attended the Hylian academy, Hyrule's greatest institute for teaching those who possessed magical attributes. They found her four years ago, after she'd been missing for nearly ten years, having faded into the shadows causing her own chaos under an anonymous name, claiming there wasn't enough spice in her life.

Reth had come from the same academy, a fresh graduate with… sadistic, shall we say… recreational interests. It was Xerthos who'd helped him cover up the murder of the Jamel family. Payback, Reth had said, the Jamel's son had a hand in his _wonderful_ experiences as a child and Reth had offered those same experiences to the Jamel boy, with much deadlier consequences. Xerthos had liked his aggressiveness.

Lastly was Alceolus, an unintentional recruitment. He'd stumbled one day into something he should not have and had parleyed like a pirate for his life. It was his ambition that stood out to Xerthos. Alceolus had liked what he'd heard and offered to assist them, and Xerthos had allowed it simply because it gave them another hold on the council.

It seemed suitable that they'd gathered together like this. All of them sick in their own ways, and all of them thirsting for more, whether it be power like Alceolus, or freedom to hurt and kill as he wished like Reth.

He, though, he wanted…

"Reth, will you confirm willingly or forcefully about your part concerning last night? You sent two of the black corps to pay a visit to his highness," said Xerthos darkly, his deep voice foreboding.

Reth crossed his arms, leaning against the cold stone wall. "I ordered them to stun, not kill. I couldn't help myself, really. Things have become too quiet lately. I had to rile things up a bit, keep the Prince on guard for a real situation."

"The Prince must not die! He must attain wisdom for our purposes to be met," spoke Xerthos, deceptively calm. "Do I make myself clear? No more of your tomfoolery, no mistakes can be made. We're close now. I want you all to make certain that nothing goes wrong at the blessings ceremony."

"Yes, my lord." They replied all at once.

"And Vivienne, I have a new assignment for you," continued Xerthos.

Dasril exchanged a confused glance with Reth and Alceolus, then shivered as a smooth trill carried down his spine.

"Hmmhmmhmm, I do hope it bears similarity to this last one. I do so love the taste of man _flesh_."

He craned his neck to follow the voice and there he saw a pair of smiling brown eyes glinting from the faint torch glow. Vivienne dropped from the ceiling, flipping mid descent and alighting in a crouch. She stood up, sweeping her hair over her shoulders and smiling at them all darkly.

"Alceolus, hon. Is that wine I smell?"

Reth laughed aloud and Dasril couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at his lips. Alceolus blustered madly.

"Impertinent-"

"So tell me, what is this new mission?" said Vivienne, red tongue flicking over her bottom lip.

"Lord Xerthos, surely one of us can handle this mission. Vivienne already has many responsibilities placed on her shoulders while we stay here idle," said Dasril.

He couldn't stand being unproductive. His duties as the minister of foreign affairs only took him away from Hyrule a few times a year to settle border disputes, trade envoys etcetera, and lately the work has been lax. Not to mention that all the important dignitaries were travelling here in order to witness the ceremony. There was very little for him to do, other than to socialize and ensure that the foreigners have a pleasant visit.

Vivienne, on the other hand, was constantly abroad, and Dasril only had a vague sense of what her missions entailed.

Xerthos hissed lowly. "Because, Dasril, this mission is for one with… certain attributes. I'm sure you'll understand."

Ah. Seduction. Rather than blushing all shades of red, or being mortified like other men would have been, he simply nodded and backed down.

"Patience, Dasril. It is almost time…" said Xerthos.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, no Sheik. I apologize. **

**So finally I've introduced the main villain of this story, your everyday typical antagonist. Honestly, I don't think I write him evil enough. I'll work on that. I might actually come back to this chapter to fix it up.**

**Hope everybody enjoyed! Please review and tell me your thoughts!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Apologies for not posting this last week. My internet has been down for ten days now, since then I've been experiencing withdrawal symptoms and various degrees of shock, I'm a huge internet addict. But it's fixed now, so no worries.**

**Thanks for everyone who reviewed: Generala, ObscurityProject, Wandom Wockets, HettyAlice, Link The Hero Of Light, Legendofzeldafan, Bluezelda868, Bloodspire, and ZeldaLover. Also thanks to everyone who put this story on their favorite and alert list.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Commander Shira's earliest convenience ended up being the very next day.

Link stood braced at the opposite end of a makeshift arena, a square outline inlaid with bricks where the guards would spar, listening as the Commander called out the rules. All the ministers were in attendance. Byron, the Zora proxy was also there, as well as Brula and Zellandus, who watched indifferently from a raised platform.

Commander Shira herself was to be his challenger. And did she ever fight. She wasn't a small woman, but neither was she large, she was actually about his size, which evened the grounds a bit. But one thing she didn't have was the male physical structure, bodies built for combat, which gave them an inherent advantage over females, but she compensated superbly with agility and stamina and no small amount of trickery. Link could never tell when she was going to feint or actually pull through with an attack, and she spun a lot, but rather than leaving herself open, her sword swirled above her head, keeping him at bay. Link had been eager with the chance to test himself against an exalted warrior, and that eagerness had simmered into cool concentration as the duel progressed.

She revealed nothing of her next move, everything was calculated and every action she executed too quickly for him to anticipate, he could only quickly jab his sword to block at the last second. It was hard for him to elicit any attack of his own. But that only lasted until he detected a pattern.

Link back flipped out of the way and they both stood staring at each other then slowly circled. Link had no time before she made her move, but he had predicted it. He ducked then launched into his favorite maneuver, the side-roll, bringing himself around to her dorsal side and then jumping up to slice at her unprotected back. But before his sword made contact she'd spun around swiftly swiping his blade aside and advancing in a combination of attacks that forced him to back up, treading precariously close to the edge of the ring.

Seeing an opportunity, he attempted the same maneuver, hoping that she wouldn't think he'd employ it a second time so soon after his failure. He again rolled and jumped at her back, but she saw through his ruse and instead of engaging him she leapt away, bringing herself closer to the center of the ring.

Link took action before she could and released a barrage of attacks on her. Commander Shira was good, he admitted, better than many of the men and women he'd fought with in his previous lives. But no matter how good she was he was better. They both were worn with experience, but he had lifetimes of it, and he knew the way his opponents thought, he knew the many different styles and strategies. All it took was to familiarize himself with his current adversary and he could pick out which one she was using.

The next instance they had space between them, Link refocused his mind and changed his stance. Just as he knew many of the different styles of fighting, he also knew how to use some of them, and most importantly, how to counter them. Commander Shira must have noticed the change in his eyes for she narrowed her gaze and bent lower as if she were about to wrestle a Goron.

Link waited and was rewarded when Commander Shira lost patience and struck. From there their swords clashed but something he had not been expecting occurred. A snap and then a clang of metal echoed in his ears as his blade was cut in two. The broken end of his sword flew through the air and landed across the practice field at the foot of a dummy.

He stared at his severed blade incredulously. He'd known the steel he'd used to forge his sword had not been the best of qualities, but he hadn't considered it so bad that it would break this easily.

Commander Shira acted upon his moment of hesitance. Unheeding of his disadvantage she tore into his defenses unyielding. Link was forced to defend with only half his blade remaining. He had no time to process his predicament, rather, his body quickly adapted to it. He couldn't take any more risks, if he wanted to win this thing he'd have to fight ferociously.

He ducked, feeling the whoosh of her blade as it veered over him, then slashed at her legs, tearing a hole through her leggings at her calf with the jagged end of his sword. He didn't let up and continued his strike around, catching her in the thigh before being swatted away while aiming for her heart. Commander Shira did an aerial flip backwards and held out her hand.

"I have seen enough," she stated calmly, and Link backed away, wiping the sweat from his eyes.

They were tied at two-two, himself having sustained a slash to his ribs and his liver. Link felt those places beginning to bruise. Both Link and Commander Shira were wearing the teal blue garments that the soldiers used to train in and beneath it were black form fitting outfits that covered them from the neck, just beneath the jaw, downwards all the way to their ankles, and specialized boots made of that same material. An innovation introduced to Hyrule by a brilliant scholar and magical experimenter in the third age, he called the ensemble of black suit and boots the aegis. It was good for conducting and holding magic, similar but not quite as efficient as precious stones. This is what protected them from slicing skin and breaking bones. Before a match a mage would release a spark of magic and activate the aegis suits, however that one act was not enough. The intricacies of the aegis were that it was a dual mechanism and required an additional ward of protection to work properly, which is why the mage also magically dulled their swords. They also lost their effect an hour after they were powered up. A pity really, the aegis would have been a great replacement for armour out on the battlefield, light and supple as they were, compared to the heavy and restraining bulk of the regular battle regalia.

After the duel they were able to tally up the points and hits by referring to the tears in their teal garments. He hadn't expected her to end it without a tiebreaker.

"Your highness, might I have a word with you?" called out Commander Shira, then motioned for Link to follow her.

They entered the changing rooms normally reserved for men, but the Commander had no qualms about walking in on male territory. She'd obviously done it before.

They waited for the Prince to arrive and he entered the room with slow deliberation. He paused at the threshold, momentarily turning green, before fetching his kerchief from his sleeve and covering his nose. Bracing himself he walked in.

"What have you to say, Commander? Quickly, haven't got all day, you know," said Zellandus, looking as if he was going to faint any second now from the lingering stench of blood and sweat.

"So," said Link cautiously. "What's the verdict?"

The Commander stared at him, considering, her lips set in a stern line.

He hadn't done that bad, had he? If there was one thing he'd learned throughout his lives it was to never expect to meet a tough woman's expectations. Women were fickle, there was no exceptions, even among the more tomboyish ones. Best to be impartial when faced with female judgment.

This was proven true as rather than go off on a rant outlaying all of his faults and mistakes, as Link would have anticipated – if he'd not remained impartial of course. In no way did he formulate that scenario just now in his head… - Commander Shira's lips spread in an enormous grin. "Pass," she exclaimed with all manner of pride. "With flying colors, I might add. I've never seen someone fight as you do, it was like pitting myself against a berserker, no, a beast, a fierce wolf. I had trouble trying to keep up with you."

_She_ had trouble? He'd been practically forced into a dance trying to parry her.

"You were doing well yourself, ma'am," said Link, but Commander Shira shook her head.

"Me, I fought using my mind, you, you used your head, yes, you easily deduced the pattern and planned a counter arrangement, but you also used something that is rarely seen in this day and age," she said, and tapped a finger to her chin. "Instinct. Even when your sword broke you kept on going, whereas most men would have called for a forfeit. That's thinking outside the box. Most would see only a broken piece of metal and think it useless, but you utilized it to your advantage. It was still a weapon in your hands."

Link quirked an eyebrow. Even a quill could be a weapon if used properly. The point could spear eyeballs.

"I'm hardly worth the praise. I did think the match was over," said Link. "If you hadn't attacked right after, I would have set aside my sword."

"But you responded when I attacked. All the others I've tested ran off in cowardice."

"Tested?"

Her eyes glinted pale cobalt as her smile broadened. "My sword is sharp, but it can't easily slice through iron."

"Magic," Link said in realization.

She nodded. "I myself do not have the gift, but there is magic stored in the jewel at the pommel of my sword. I apologize for breaking your sword, it was a fine blade, I'll see it replaced as soon as possible."

Yes, he was a bit miffed about that. It had taken him weeks to forge it. It wasn't the finest blade he'd crafted, but it was created in a way that suited its purpose, and to Link that had made it decent.

"You did that just to test me?"

"Isn't that what this whole evaluation was about? I couldn't just look at your swordsmanship skills, any man or woman can perform the moves with enough practice. I had to see what you would do in unfavorable situations. With half your sword you could no longer thrust, and you had only half the reach. If I could I'd promote you to Captain."

Link blinked at the overwhelming praise. "Commander-"

"The name's Commander Deborah Shira," she smiled, flinging out a hand to shake his. "Call me Commander Deb, or just Deb will do."

Link instantly relaxed. This was the kind of person he liked. Someone who was laid back and did not let formalities get in the way of a placid friendship, one whose respect was given when due and whom he could respect in kind.

Link smiled listlessly in return. "Commander Deb, even you should know there's more to being a Captain than one's fighting skill. Achievement, group work, and leadership qualities must all come into play. That is why a soldier has to have at least two years of experience before any noteworthy promotions are given."

Her eyes glinted and Link assumed that he had passed another one of her tests. "Right you are. Quite savvy, are you? You hail from Heron Falls? Were you looking to the military as a future career option?"

"It has crossed my mind," said Link truthfully. A time or two he had imagined himself joining one of the patrol fractions of the Hylian army and roaming around the land vanquishing monsters. It had always been a huge deal of excitement for him whenever one of the patrols stopped by their village. That was all until his work as an apprentice took his time away from his imaginings, and then recently as his memories had returned he'd been singularly focused on one overall goal.

"Becoming a bodyguard seems just right for you," continued Deb, pulling Link out of his thoughts. "As long as you enact patience and keep well alert. The prince won't constantly be bombarded with assassins, and when they do come it will be when you least expect it, at a moment's notice."

Link nodded. "I assure you, while he is under my watch none shall touch him."

"Bold words," Deb muttered lowly. "I shall hold you to it." She stepped close and clapped his shoulder, her demeanor lightening. "If you ever do tire of babysitting, I'll have you know that I count your time as bodyguard as time in the military. That promotion of yours won't be long in coming."

Link smiled at the offer, even though it held little appeal to him. Zellandus coughed abruptly stealing their gazes and bringing to attention how uncomfortable he was in their current location. If they didn't get him out soon there'd be no Prince left for him to guard, he was practically suffocating himself behind his kerchief.

"Can we go now? I know this lovely aroma may appeal to you, but it's near putting me out!" urged Zellandus, his voice muffled behind the cloth.

It occurred to Link that he had yet to hear Zellandus' opinion in regards to his performance. Probably didn't want to waste precious breath inhaling fetid air.

Zellandus heaved a huge gulp of air once they exited, clutching his stomach and gasping as if he hadn't breathed in weeks. He looked sickened then quickly composed himself, straightening out and pointedly looking away from the change rooms as if the mere sight of them would cause him to hurl.

"This… is why I never joined the military," he said, striding away quickly.

It was not uncommon that once in a while a young Prince - or Princess even, although that was a rare likelihood - would sign up for military service and have a rank added to their title. However, Zellandus seemed more the type to enlist a private tutor to teach him the ways of the sword. No doubt he had another that taught him war tactics as well.

Numerous times at Zelda's insistence he'd signed up and had to work his way up the ladder into ranks befitting a king. But he'd never liked it. It seemed Zelda wanted him to do it so he could prove himself to the nobility and gain their respect by achievement. It never made any difference, and the experience was less than enjoyable. He had never liked sharing a barracks. He much preferred his own quarters, private and alone, with no one on the next bunk keeping him awake with their snoring, no quiet murmuring during the night as some of the men talked, and no eyes to see him changing into his uniform.

Despite all the undesirable aspects, one thing that made him proud to be in the military was the camaraderie among the soldiers. Men who'd take an arrow for a friend, who bonded with then wed the female soldiers and went off creating their own little soldier families, those that could be depended on to watch his back. That had always been invaluable.

But it was not enough to entice him to enlist once more. He was predominantly a lone wolf. He had his fill of military life.

They passed the stands and the Prince stopped and stood sharply gazing up at the rest of their audience.

"Commander Shira has declared her approval of my new bodyguard. Does this please you Lord Perrington?"

Said Lord made not a sound, but Link could see his bottom lip quivering and face purpling with indignation. Lady Rielle was gazing down at him with a firm eye while Byron, Lord Ivain and Lord DeSange practically beamed at him. Lord DeSange actually had a rather crude smile on, to which Link narrowed his eyes. Lord Foulkes and Lady Delmont were the only two to express no emotions whatsoever, Link couldn't read their thoughts on his success but it seemed that they simply didn't care one way or the other.

He allowed a small smirk and gave a hearty wave at the stewing Lord Perrington before following the prince off the practice fields.

He caught sight of Lord Perrington encroaching Commander Deb and start hissing words at her to which she remained fastidious and unamused as she listened and spoke back. Link could guess that the topic of their heated discussion was him. Lord Perrington was probably vehemently objecting her decision.

"Your highness!" Lord Kincaid came running towards them, his stick bug form towering above them so that Link had to angle his head upwards, much to his chagrin.

"You see, Kincaid, Link is a competent man, I knew so all along. Your worries are unfounded," said Zellandus conspicuously gleeful.

Lord Kincaid still eyed him peevishly. "His trustworthiness is more my concern," he muttered quietly.

Link was fine with that. He was glad to some degree that someone had enough sense to question his validity. Brula and Zellandus were excused because of their knowledge of his status, but many of the others seemed to welcome him almost too readily. As for Lord Perrington, he most definitely was not welcoming but his mistrust of him stemmed from shear dislike, a prejudice formed at first impression.

Lord Kincaid turned back to Zellandus. "Your highness, many of the guests are anxious to see you, duke Valdric wishes to go over the plans for the new trade route while he's here, and the ambassador of Labrynna desires to review the treaties, which does not bode well. There has been trouble going on at the border and she seems to think it stems from Hyrule."

Zellandus interrupted Lord Kincaid with a yawn. "Really now. There's always something going on that she has to blame on us. And the border is right on moblin soil, how could there not be trouble."

Zellandus abruptly changed the subject. Link looked at Zellandus curiously but decided to ask questions later. Whatever problems they were having with Labrynna seemed to really bother Zellandus.

* * *

Half an hour later saw Link about to attend court, adorned with a newly acquired sword, complements of Commander Deb, once again shadowing the Prince as they greeted each and every distinctive political figure from Termina to Labrynna. He had to politely smile to each and grit his teeth as he was mostly ignored or stared at as if he were a peculiar specimen in a menagerie.

Needless to say, he was more popular with the young ladies, who sought him out rapturously like the vicious predators that they were. Not to generalize women, as there were quite a few timid ones hanging back with only people they were familiar with, and some of the ladies were simply uninterested, or were joviantly curious and naught else, but the majority it seemed were rampant huntresses. The most prime target was Zellandus but a few words from his mouth and a blatant yawn at their babbling segued them to him.

He'd been described in previous lives as silent and gentle, morose and mysterious, and for some reason the present ladies easily picked up on that as if his reputation had carried on unknowingly to this life.

They practically crowded him, which unnerved him as it was becoming more and more difficult to keep his awareness on the person he was supposed to be protecting. Prince Zellandus, for his part, noticed his silent distress, cast him a smirk – a rather sadistic one if you asked him - and carried on pretending to listen to a boring diplomat from Holodrum.

"_You don't have to tail me the entirety of the time. I doubt any assassin would make an attempt so soon and in such a crowded environment. Go enjoy yourself."_

That's what the Prince had said, but Link failed to obey that little order for he was not at all enjoying himself. Court life could be so tedious at times, he reflected as he looked on at the babbling women all vying for his attention.

He would have liked to stick close to Zellandus to learn more about this border issue. Moblins connected directly to Ganondorf, he had no doubt that the vile man couldn't be too far.

Link, ever the polite and gentle soul that he was, could not so easily brush them off as Zellandus rudely did. It had long been ingrained in him that blunt dismissal was not appropriate conduct among social gatherings, one had to use tact and feign interest at the least.

Curse Zelda and all her etiquette lessons.

He hadn't noticed that he'd been glaring at Zellandus' back until one of the ladies appropriated his attention.

"What on earth compelled you to acquire earrings," said a woman hovering behind a pink lace fan. "They look positively ghastly."

_Your choice in wardrobe looks positively ghastly._ It was too bad propriety prevented him from voicing those thoughts aloud. At least when Zelda was here – or at least when she was a girl – she set the standards high. As it were, his eyes were crudely met with numerous gowns of frills and bows and heavy dangling ornaments it was a wonder the fabrics did not tear from the weight. Also plastered on their faces were copious amounts of maquillage. A peculiar style he'd noticed at the gala and at present were their tendency to wear heavy amounts of colored powder ranging from faded pinks to deep violet that were painted along their eyelids and further extended above and beyond the eyes to the sides of their faces, done in feathery strokes giving them a semi masked appearance. It didn't look awful, per se, it was just that Link was not used to such… artistic design.

"How so?" he gave her little regard but opted to listen anyways. From her tone he knew the woman meant no offense, merely an observation.

"Indeed, Lavinia, how so?" another woman, wearing a pale blue ruffled dress and white lace at her bodice and sleeves, and with her eyelids colored various degrees of greys and blues, asked. "I think they're positively charming."

A man scoffed. "Charming? In what way, may I ask? A man decorating his ears with such gaudy ornaments is nothing short of obscene. The gall of it. Adding feminity to his features, it disgraces the women he wishes to copy, not to mention disgraces his own masculinity."

As many of the women flocked to him so did the men who sought their attentions. The men were reluctant and displeased that the women had chosen Link as their current centerpiece, having long bored of the traditional noblemen. Link with his rugged looks and mysterious bearing was far more exciting a subject.

Link was silent and wary, and to those unfazed women the more silent he was the more intrigued they became. Again he wished he had Zellandus' ability to thwart their attentions, but alas, his nature would not allow flagrant disregard.

"On the contrary," said yet another woman, whose name he had not bothered to recall. "They enhance his masculinity. Does he not look the roguish sort?"

A few of the group chuckled humorously. "Oh, Amy," said the noble man. "Who are you to judge the concept of masculinity when you yourself are addled to your own feminity."

"Yes, a tomboy like you would have no inclination of what is appropriate for either gender," said another man.

Zelda had once been a tomboy. That was, each time before she had bloomed into the beautiful and elegant flower that she was. As a child she had been carefree enough to disregard any social standards.

He didn't like the men's mocking tones as the woman suddenly had her eyes downcast, embarrassed.

"Actually," spoke Link at once garnering their attention. He paused. Even now he hated being in the spotlight, but there was nothing for it but to press on. "They are my proof of right to manhood." He leered then and scoped out their expressions. "I see here fine women, and I see little boys. Why, in my hometown you'd be denied access to any of the local pubs."

The women giggled, both flattered and amused, while many of the men bristled. Amy cast him a grateful shy smile.

"A barbaric ritual," scoffed the man, his nose wrinkled.

"A defensive statement to one who knows he wouldn't be able to handle more than a paper cut," Link countered effortlessly to another round of giggles.

A hero he might be but he did so enjoy antagonizing at the most opportune moments. He was hardly a hero then. He just couldn't resist throwing out the barbs, especially when they were just asking for it, leaving themselves open like that, just as this nondescript Lord was doing.

"Intriguing," said Zellandus, causing more than one Lord and Lady to jump and spin around. Standing at the back of the crowd, Zellandus strolled over to Link and everyone in his way parted for him. He was accompanied as always by Lord Kincaid and several other important persons. The Zora proxy was also there and nodded at Link in polite greeting.

"I haven't really thought about them at first but they do add a remarkable zest to your appearance."

At this attitudes inversed and the men leaned forward no longer looking with harsh scrutiny but with keen interest, the one who had previously spoken eyeing them with disdain.

He wouldn't be surprised if he'd started a trend. If there was one thing everybody of the noble class were fixated on it was fashion, and the Prince set the mode. If the Prince decided to pierce his ears there would no doubt be a massive increase in sales for the jewelers in the country. And it looked as if he would do it too with his all too interested gleam.

Lord Kincaid spluttered outrageously. "Your highness! You can't possibly be remotely considering-"

"Quiet, you," said Zellandus, causing the Lord's mouth to instantly snap shut. He stretched, his arms rose in a very informal like gesture for the setting. Many of the women's fans started to increase the rate of their fluttering, and Lord Kincaid only spluttered further.

"And Link! What sort of bodyguard are you? Hitting it off with the ladies and leaving me defenseless. You're supposed to remain at my side."

Link scowled. _As if you hadn't told me to basically get lost from the onset._

With a polite bow to the women, to a chorus of many giggles and fluttering fans, he followed Zellandus as he plowed through the throng, barely bothering to even cast a bored glance at those who attempted to stop and talk with him.

"Come on, I need some air," said Zellandus.

They ended up on an isolated balcony overlooking Castle Town and Zellandus proceeded to lean on the railing and heave a great tired sigh.

"Well aren't you the ladies man," Zellandus cast him a sly grin.

Link strode to look over the balcony feeling irritated. "Have you brought us out here to talk about women?"

"Oh no, as I said, I just needed some clean air. It can be stifling in there, you know. All those bodies, people trying to get as close to you as possible, and all that pestering. Would be nice to be a lower class Lord sometimes. My royal status is the only thing that draws them in, you see."

All of a sudden Zellandus looked a bit forlorn. Was Zellandus… jealous? Of him maybe? Of all the other men in the room?

Link hesitated then deigned to ask. "Do you resent your status?"

The Prince chuckled darkly and shrugged. "Would you believe me if I said that I never wanted to become King?"

Link blinked. Zellandus at first appeared to him as a spoiled and frilly brat, and what sort of brat didn't want the power to boss everyone around – and that meant absolutely everyone. Hyrule's rule was practically autocratic, Zellandus could randomly toss a passerby in the dungeon if he wanted with little to no consequence. It was only because of the Harkinian's righteous nature that none of them became all out tyrants.

"Do you think I'd make a good King? Wisdom is the embodiment of Hyrule's royalty, yet I feel none of that. The decisions I make would be costly, I would be questioned at every turn."

"Surely you over-exaggerate." Link did not at all like the somber turn in Zellandus' attitude. He proved himself more and more a direct opposite of his love. He feared responsibility, while Zelda had bore it proudly. For obvious reasons he couldn't comfort him as he would have Zelda.

Zellandus was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "You know, I trust you. Perhaps it's that you are the hero of legend, but by the Goddesses, I can't help but trust you. It's funny because Brula had always discouraged me from making connections so easily. Especially with young females. You saw them in there? Manipulative, seductive, temptresses, would try to flatter you and string you round their fingers then have you do all sorts of things for them and before you know it you're in too deep and can't get out lest you activate the water works."

Link rolled his eyes as Zellandus went off tangent. For some reason he felt warmth at his admittance to trusting him. Could this be the Zelda within him shining through? His heartbeat quickened as he overlooked Zellandus' profile as the Prince's hooded eyes looked over his kingdom. Eyes, so much like Zelda's…

Zellandus blinked then looked up at him and Link snapped out of it. He'd been dangerously close to thinking ignoble thoughts. How could he even consider that about... about a man!? Zelda was a man now, it couldn't happen! Nothing could happen! His heart tore at that thought. So long he'd went without her and now that she was so near they couldn't be together, at least not as he wished.

"To be King is a great honor," said Zellandus, his tone a soothing calmness that reminded him so much of Sheik. "To be King of Hyrule is to _become_ Hyrule. You represent your country and see to it that it prospers and that it is kept on track with the law. Each King and Queen is a representative of sorts, an ambassador to stand before the Goddesses in times of judgment. You reflect your people, the Goddesses will see your image and see your country in you. That sort of person feels too great for me."

Link felt guilty all of a sudden. He'd been King so many times yet he'd only seen the burdens in taking on that role. Zellandus made him realize that it was far more important than a mere position of authority.

"It is funny, but whenever I look at the throne it feels too big for me… as if… it was meant for someone greater than I."

Oh, Zelda…

Link reached his hand forward and hesitated. He steeled himself and rather than cupping his face, he placed it on Zellandus' shoulder.

"That you think yourself unworthy already makes you worthy for Kingship."

He tried to place all the confidence and respect he felt towards the Prince in his words, but for some reason it felt as if he hadn't conveyed that well enough. Zellandus though looked brightened because of it.

"Humility? I suppose that is always an outstanding quality in a King," he said, standing up and combing his fingers through his wayward hair. "Never thought that it would be associated with me. That it _could_ be, rather."

Link was heartened to see Zellandus not so downcast anymore. A few days and the sight of a dismal Zellandus had become such an odd one to him compared to his regular flamboyant demeanor.

Much cheerier, Zellandus threw an arm over Link's shoulder's. "Ever thought of becoming a shrink? You'd do marvels for all those suicidal types. King Rodrigue, for instance, could use someone like you. Found out the Queen Regnant, his mother that is, or was, before she died, had had multiple affairs during her marriage and his heritage was brought to question. A stressful affair, he's going through hard times right now that's for sure. Not that it would matter who his true father is, his mother was still the Queen Regnant and that won't affect any right he has to the throne. People are thinking that the Prince Consort somehow lacked virility and that the Queen Regnant had to look elsewhere for satisfaction and all that. Personally I believe that she was just a playgirl and -"

The Prince went on in a massive oration that Link was hard pressed to listen to.

It had only taken one sentence to pull Zellandus out of his moroseness, how did that qualify him as a shrink?

Link followed as Zellandus drawled on and on all the way back to court where he greeted his guests and fellow Hylians with more enthusiasm than he'd shown all day.

* * *

Link leaned against a wall and watched as various young noblemen and a few noblewomen stretched and practiced shadow fighting with their rapiers or broadswords. It was late afternoon and they'd all gathered outside for a bit of exercise. The nobility had hastily changed into more sportish attire similar to what he'd been wearing earlier but much more unnecessarily fancy, and gathered in a section of the practice grounds reserved only for those of higher class. The nobles who were not participating were watching from the sidelines, with many women hovering close to Zellandus' corner, watching as he did a neat flick of the sword, loosening up his wrist. Although the movement was a simple wrist rotation, it caused the sword to swerve in a way that they found most impressive and many of the Ladies gasped in awe.

Link unknowingly glared at them.

"He's quite good, is he not?"

Link regarded Byron then gazed back at his current muse. It wasn't difficult to think of Zellandus as male considering Zelda's Sheik persona… but he was just so… not like Zelda it was hard to tell.

Beside him, the Zora continued on. "This is the only time the Prince is ever willingly social with his subjects. Many fear that marriage is an impossible feat for him."

He very near shuddered at that word. He did not like the possibility of Zellandus marrying. The very idea was disturbing, and the notion that the idea disturbed him also greatly disturbed him.

Pretending that Zellandus was Sheik and could turn back into a fully _female_ Zelda at any time was one thing, but knowing that Zellandus was full male, was possibly Zelda, and that if he were Zelda he'd still yearn for her… whatever body she took…

That was convoluted. His thoughts were mushing around in his head. He desperately desired Zelda, but for right now, until he learned the truth he had to remember that Zelda and Zellandus were separate entities. He had to stop rolling them into one.

"I heard you fought him yourself," said the Zora.

Link finally gave him his full attention and noted the serious firmness in the Zora's eyes. The Zora was fishing for answers. None other than the council had been informed of what happened the other night due to not wanting a full-scale panic or to look bad before the foreigners. But certainly the Zoras had a right to know.

Byron already suspected something might be afoot. It was clear to Link that he hadn't bought the story that the rest of the nobles had been fed. But then again, the Zora people were more in the know what with the hero arising.

He shook his head as a servant came by bearing a tray filled with hors d'oeuvres and the servant merely moved to the next guest.

Link leaned close to whisper. "Yes, I did. But then we were interrupted by two strange individuals who attacked the Prince, assassins, wearing dark cloaks and masks that looked like keatons. They were restrained, but as they were being led away they seemingly died."

"Seemingly died?" mused the Zora, just as quietly, having no clue what Link meant by that.

"Like a monster, turned into smoke with no bodies remaining."

The Zora shot a look at him suddenly. "Monsters got into the castle?"

"No, they were human."

"Human…" said the Zora. "But the only time I'd ever heard of a death like that in a human…"

"Yes?"

The Zora couldn't continue over the tumult of noise as the first men went up to spar. It wasn't a tourney or any sort of competition, just practice with spectators.

As the noise died down and clangs replaced the air with their steely rings, Link and the Zora pretended to watch with interest.

"Perhaps they'd been summoned?"

"No, I'd have felt the magic, and you would have as well."

Byron stood quiet. "This is something that I need to discuss with the Queen. And the priestess. Definitely the priestess. She'll know what it is."

"You believe this is something deeper?"

Byron smiled softly in that Zora way. "Everything concerning yourself is considered deep. Trouble, that is. This attack doesn't coincide with your return for nothing. I'm certain of it. Hero, humans don't just die a monster's death. I have no doubt that this is the work of our elusive adversary. It is unlikely to be a run-of-the-mill assassination attempt."

The two abruptly stopped chatting as Zellandus approached, waving off a hoard of female attention and nearly careening into a servant.

"Care for a friendly spar, Link?" asked the Prince, and he must have seen the apprehension in Link's eyes as he smiled. "I assure you, it won't be a repeat of what occurred in the bedroom. I don't normally play dirty."

Byron released a muffled snort. "In the bedroom? Play dirty?"

Link ground his teeth. Was it a commonality of Zoras to think this perversely? Spar could easily be seen as a code word in that context. What sort of repulsive thoughts did the Zoras entertain these days? The Zoras he had known had been more serious with little no to humorous bones in them.

Zellandus only smiled and laughed. "Yes, there was one move I pulled that was completely nasty. Link did not enjoy it all too much. Sent him to his back, it did. He didn't like that position at all."

"Oh Goddesses!" Byron near howled with laughter.

Link however was not remotely amused.

"Yes yes, very funny," he glared at the Prince. Any and all feelings of guilt and pity he'd felt for Zellandus had all but vanished. "I should have known you'd understand that repulsive mindset."

"That devilish Queen's been rubbing off on you, I see," said Zellandus to Byron after a good round of laughter. "In all seriousness, I hadn't fought quite… ah… fairly. That was a cheep shot I took. Is your stomach alright?"

"Yes, it's fine. And I did not end up on my back," said Link, now watching as another pair went up to duel. A brave young soul facing off against Commander Deb. He pitied that man. Ah well.

Zellandus and Byron were both watching as well, Zellandus sporting a frown on his face. "Tch. Fool's trying to show off again. Will he never learn?"

"Who?" asked Byron.

Zellandus indicated with his chin. "The idiot facing off against Deb. Lord James Farlow. Never liked the man. Cocky, a show off, and with a very poor sense of fashion. I mean, did you _see_ him at the gala? Perhaps not. I had been too busy trying to avoid him and I hadn't pointed him out to you. But Goddesses, that coat! It was like he belonged in some gothic horror novel. Too much black and red, not at all presenting the bright type of Hylian atmosphere for our guests."

"Ah, a rival of yours?" said Link, recognizing the tint of disdain in the Prince's voice.

The Prince shrugged. "You can say that. In that case, we've been rivals since infancy and no doubt our parents had been rivals before that, such is our hate for house Farlow."

So it was personal.

They watched the spar progress with James easily going into the offense, smiling as he bombarded the Commander with attacks. Deb continuously backed up, seemingly struggling to keep up. Very deceptive of her. All of a sudden, just as James was savoring his imminent victory, Deb changed her tune and did not just turn the tables, she flipped them. Within seconds the duel was over and James stood with the point of a sword at his throat, suffering a humiliating defeat.

He stomped off the arena and joined another nobleman standing off to the side.

"That there with him is Lord Wist Perth," said Zellandus before he became silent as he thought deeply about something. "You know… It eludes me, but for some reason I've never much liked him either. I haven't the faintest idea why. He always was a decent sort."

Deb bowed to an applauding crowd and stepped off the arena. Suddenly someone shouted for Zellandus.

"Have a turn, your highness! We are anxious to watch you perform."

Others took on the shout and encouraged Zellandus to go next. Zellandus looked at Link questioningly, and Link shrugged with a grin.

"Why not? This way I can see how good you are without cheating."

"Cheating!" cried out Zellandus. "I'm the Prince! I've been trained that all things go in a life or death situation. Have to preserve myself, can't have some ruddy relatives staining the direct line of royals."

Link furrowed his brows. Did he not know that the direct line was already gone? That he was the progeny of an offspring born of one of Zelda's cousins? If only she hadn't died. If only…

"I'll show you," shot Zellandus. "I can defeat you in a fair fight."

"You wish," replied Link.

They were standing now in the arena. A mage came up and cast the protection magic on their swords then on the aegis suits they wore underneath their clothing. Link took a stance, going through memories of his previous battle against the Prince. The watching nobles became silent. Zellandus may be rude, but he was their Prince, and none could deny his fighting skills.

A shadow fell over him.

Commander Deb smiled at them from right beside them. "I'll be refereeing. Ready… and fight!"

She stepped back over to where Lady Delmont and Lord Ivain were observing as Link and Zellandus circled one another.

This was different. This was not a fight done in the dark with intentions to harm, or in Link's case, defend. It was a playful spar that hardly meant anything in the long run. Link was hit with a sharp wave of nostalgia. He'd sparred against Sheik the same way when he'd been practicing for the final encounter with Ganondorf. Those were the last times he'd ever gone against Zelda, she had never seemed to have the time for it afterwards.

He eyed Zellandus, his mind forming a picture. Just give him some more blue, a tabard, and multiple white bandages and he'd be an exact replica, bar the genetic changes like his eyes and skin color.

When Link went in for the dive it was with full force. Zellandus boasted that he was good with the sword, well he'd make him prove it. It would be a comfort. If something did happen to him, at least Zellandus would be able to handle himself.

Zellandus twisted to the side and aimed a thrust at Link's back, which he swiftly ducked under and seemed to watch in slow motion as the sheen of silver metal flew over his head.

As they fought their attacks became more ferocious. The nobles were chanting their names, cheering and calling out unheeded advice. Link blocked them all out, he didn't even hear a cluster of women cheering out his own name, all he could see was Zellandus and his sword bearing down on him, and all he could hear were the deep breaths they took and the swish of the blades.

He made his second contact against Zellandus' ribs that would have puncture a lung without the aegis and the magical protection. Zellandus darted back, more cautious. Link only needed one more cut to win and Zellandus hadn't yet made a mark upon him.

But Zellandus was not quite done yet. Just like their last fight, Zellandus surprised him by doing something fancy and that ignited just a tinge of jealousy in him. He did a butterfly kick then a straight kick upwards that had him doing the splits, impressive for a man. Link's eyes widened and his sword was knocked out of his hand and sent flying.

Zellandus smirked.

In retaliation Link quickly stepped out of the way of an incoming thrust then grabbed Zellandus' sword arm. Now that he had two free hands he could do this move. He bent the Prince's arm at the elbow and twisted his wrist and in shock, Zellandus let go of his sword. Link then flipped him over his back, sending Zellandus to the floor. He was about to retrieve Zellandus' sword when his feet were pulled from under him and a hard body pushed down on him.

Link wrestled with Zellandus, trying to gain the upper hand. This was where his smaller frame became a downfall. Zellandus had more power and longer limbs with which to pin him down. But Link could deal. He'd wrestled with bigger.

He wriggled his arms free of Zellandus' hold and pushed them over. As they rolled he became conscious of Zellandus' discarded weapon. He snatched it off the ground mid motion and as he pulled up on top he pressed it to the Prince's neck, effectively ending the duel.

Zellandus gazed bewildered, his eyes widely taking in the sword then darting to Link.

Link breathed harshly, his eyes boring into Zellandus'. It was then he realized their position… so suggestive… so close…

"Winner is Link!"

Deb's voice and the numerous cheers that followed snapped him out of his daze and Link hastily backed off. Zellandus pushed himself up and patted down his front.

"Well, can't complain for a fair fight," said Zellandus, and Link had almost expected him to throw a tantrum for losing. "We'll see about next time though. I'll be the stronger man then."

Link didn't have an answer for him. He was too mortified, too ashamed to form coherent thoughts.

Slowly they walked off the arena to allow the next set of duelists to spar.

Thankfully a new voice entered his awareness and cleared his consciousness.

"Well now, that sure was entertaining. It's not everyday one witnesses our great Prince being beaten into the ground."

Beside him Zellandus tensed as he turned to face the newcomer. "Good afternoon James... Wist."

The two noblemen bowed in greeting, one pleasantly, the other more stiffly.

"Good afternoon, your highness," said Wist, smiling.

James eyed Link. "So this is your new bodyguard? Could use a bit of practice. What sort of bodyguard loses his sword in the middle of a duel? Could barely hold your own out there. I could have had you out within seconds."

"Would you like to test that?" said Link suddenly anxious for a fight. It might help push out these thoughts he's having.

James shook his head. "Unfortunately I cannot. I twisted my wrist wrong whilst dueling with the Commander. Maybe someday you'll be good enough to face her."

Link knowingly smirked. "Yes, maybe someday."

James seemed shocked that Link so readily agreed with him, and coughed to compose himself. "Well then -"

"James!" a woman's voice carried over and Link looked up to see Amy approaching at a jog.

Of all the people he'd met at court that day, hers was the only name he remembered. She was the tomboy. Link could see that now. She was dressed for sparring, instead of the bright and decorated colors the other women wore, she donned a dull and plain pair of breeches and a loose tunic. Her hair was done up in a simple tail and all traces of makeup were gone.

"James," she said again. "Did you not say that you'd watch me duel against Nadine? You're supposed to give me pointers."

"Ah, yes, I did say that," said James, standing taller. "Lead the way then, Amy. Good day, your highness."

Amy sent them a smile as she left with Wist and James, who entered a loud monologue about techniques and tips.

Zellandus sighed. It seemed that half his day consisted of long dreary sighing. "That Amy. She's not really interested in what James has to say. She always arrives at the precise right moment to pull James away whenever he is around me. Seems to think that I'll dismember him or something. Ridiculous. Dismemberment is utterly repulsive and crude, not to mention messy."

_He'd been ready enough to dismember me the other night, _thought Link.

"You see, some people, like say… oh, James for instance… become jealous of what they don't have and of what others can do that they cannot, so they irrationally target and try to make life as miserable for that person as possible. A silly thing to do, really. Instead of looking to their own lives and focusing on what they can do and what they do have, they waste their time on others. I can't stand it, really."

"So you believe that James is jealous of you," said Byron.

Zellandus scoffed. "Of course he is. Who in their right mind isn't? However instead of expressing it as well-founded awe, he has to go off and make a nuisance of himself. It's always completely unprovoked, he simply wishes that he was the Prince instead of me. That's the only way anyone would ever pay any attention to him."

Link saw the spark in his eyes as he spoke, the hidden frustration and admired Zellandus' ability to push that aside and be civil.

He stared long and the clanging of sword meeting sword drew his eyes away.

Zellandus and Zelda were not the same. Even if it was her soul in that body, Zellandus was still a male, he couldn't act as if it were otherwise. From now on he couldn't associate one with the other, else he was afraid he might do something foolish.

But how could he separate them when he saw her whenever he looked in Zellandus' eyes?

_Goddesses help me. Goddesses send me Zelda._

His silent wish went unheard as the seconds ticked by and nothing happened. He sneered. _Well, thank be the Goddesses._

* * *

From the cloisters of a window high up in the castle, Dasril surveyed the nobles as they enjoyed their afternoon. He, as with many, had elected not to attend the event meant for their amusement. He'd never been one for friendly sparring. Oh, he could handle a blade all right, it is just when he fought he hated holding back and his point would always find its mark.

He easily picked out the Prince's figure as he was dressed in white, reds and gold. Even for simple training gear no expenses have been spared.

His thoughts turned to the meeting with his master, Xerthos. Vivienne had quickly been sent on whatever new mission she'd been assigned, he could only guess that it was some sort of persuasion then assassination attempt. Reth and Alceolus were below, not partaking in the sparring, but watching and interacting with the other Lords and Ladies.

He frowned. He was once again stuck with nothing to do. Xerthos had no need of him yet and he was fast growing restless.

He needed to do something. He had to move.

He whirled around, cape billowing out behind him as he strode through the halls, heading towards his chambers. If he would be useless then he was going to be useless somewhere he liked better than here.

He silently slipped into his room and turned the key in the door before pocketing it. He headed towards his bureau where was displayed countless items, trinkets and artifacts that were his or 'borrowed' from someone else. The servants didn't dare lay a hand on any of them, as he'd told them that some of them contained curses that he was working to lift.

His fingers touched directly on a small sphere balancing on a metal holder, or rather, not balancing, but hovering over it and spinning slowly. It was reminiscent of a globe, but it was much more than that, not even Reth the sorcerer was aware of all of its valuable properties, to him it was just a decoration with a magical flair. Trivial and pointless, he'd call them had he known, but Dasril found that as trivial as they were, if used properly they were most helpful.

He caressed an empowered finger down the side, the trail marked a diagonal line as the sphere spun. And then it cracked open, displaying a shining green center like some sort of floating blob of water.

It shone brighter as he touched it and at once was engulfed. Moments later the room was empty and the sphere closed and locked, once more spinning and hovering over its stand.

* * *

**A/N: Lots of inner conflict here with Link. How would he feel if Zellandus were Zelda? What sort of emotions would he be faced with, and how would he consider the situation? I never meant to go this far with it. Poor guy. I do pity him. **

**Personally I'm not all too fond of yaoi. This is here because of Link's previously stated conflicting emotions. He's attracted to Zelda, to him Zellandus is similar to Zelda, he's still not sure if he is Zelda though, but he's starting to see him as her. So yeah, no real yaoi here, just some funny maybe or what if scenes.**

**Okay, I've introduced enough OCs for the time being. I think I've covered just about all the important players, now to manipulate them to my fancy.**

**As always reviews are appreciated and loved!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks to all my readers for their patience. I decided that I couldn't put it off anymore, after all Zelda plays an integral part in this story. Finally you get to learn what happened to Zelda.**

**The first part of this is in Dasril's point of view. I enjoy writing about him. He's conniving but at the same time a gentleman, and you see here that he plays a rather crucial part in the story. Also I just like his name. ^.^**

**I'd like to thank all of my reviewers: Flik98, bluezelda868, Guest reviewer for March 31 (I'm blushing ^^), ObscurityProject, Death Waltz, Generala, Bloodspire, and PrincessPeach! Your words are encouraging, I'm so glad to see that so many people like my story. ^^**

**I also changed my rating to M because I realized that i'll be including a lot of sexual innuendos and that I might just write a bunch of blood and gore later on (like really later on).**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

The first thing Lord Dasril Foulkes did as he touched down in the lounge of his manor was to pour himself a generous glass of Zoran whiskey, Calbo's finest. He downed that drink quickly and immediately helped himself to another, this time pacing himself as he drank in measured sips. His magic was bristling inside of him and if he did not in some way let it out then he'd go mad.

Taking his glass of whiskey with him, he wandered down the hall heading for the backyard.

Normally when someone mentions the word backyard one would think of a small green space at the rear of the house with a fine white picket fence, a garden off to the side, maybe a stone path bordered with beds of flowers and a few trees or bushes. Dasril's backyard at Foulkes manor consisted of seventy acres of woodland, all surrounded by a twenty-foot wall perimeter because his ancestors had been stringent that way.

The manor itself was three stories high plus a wine cellar, with hundreds of rooms each gilded in gold and enriched fineries. Portraits and tapestries hung on the walls, as well as countless mirrors. If there was one thing his ancestors had been known for it was their pride and vanity. There was at least one full sized mirror in every room and in various locations all the better to admire oneself at every angle.

Dasril wouldn't deny that he had inherited their vanity, he was just as vain as the rest of them had been to the point where he was almost obsessive with his looks, keeping himself kept and clean and most of all presentable. He was on top of the current fashion and often integrated foreign styles into his wardrobe that fast caught on among the nobility and increased productivity and trade with other nations. But contrary to the previous Foulkes, he didn't mind getting messy at times. Actually he thought he looked rather robust after a good work out, practicing with his sword or magic.

But for all its splendor not even a fourth of the rooms in the manor were used, most having either been boarded up or locked. Dasril liked his privacy, which was why as soon as his mother had passed on he'd lowered the staff count to the minimum capacity for the manor's upkeep and no longer entertained guests. He could not afford to have anyone nosing around in his home. Not with what he was involved with.

"My Lord, you're back!"

He chugged the last of his whiskey as his butler and chief of staff, an aging man named Jeffrey, bustled up to him as fast as his creaking bones could carry him.

"Apparently so," he muttered, gazing frustrated into his empty glass before holding it out for Jeffrey to take.

Jeffrey took the glass silently. "Is everything alright my Lord?"

His pointed ears twitched. "That all depends." Dasril then became hopeful. "Has she returned?"

With some hesitance, Jeffrey replied. "No, not yet."

"Have you had word of her?"

Jeffrey shook his head. "Not since her letter last week saying that she was going to be delayed."

He remembered that letter. She had found a new lead and didn't know where it would take her or how long she'd be gone. She'd told him not to worry and that she'd see him sometime by the end of the month unless she sent another letter telling him otherwise. As always he'd kept her letter in a wooden box with the rest.

The thought irked him. It was nearing the end of the month, and although it might be a tad bit early he had been hoping to see her before she ventured off to follow another trail.

"Keep me informed and notify me the instant she returns, no matter if I'm at Hyrule Castle or not," he said seriously, to which Jeffrey replied with a hasty 'yes my Lord'.

Jeffrey walked with him as he continued on down the hall. "I'll be in the woods. Be sure that everyone stay's away." He opened the double grand doors that led to the outside and inhaled the fragrant fresh mountain air of Snowpeak. It had begun to snow, small flakes floating nimbly from the sky. A blanket of frozen water carpeted the ground in brilliant whiteness and his boots crunched on his first step.

"Shall I take your cape, my Lord?" Jeffrey asked.

Dasril thought about it then decided to keep it with him. He quite liked the feel of his cape billowing about as he exercised. It made him feel more formidable.

"No thank you, Jeffrey. But be prepared for me when I return."

"Certainly, my Lord."

Dasril exited the manor and closed the doors firmly behind him. Although the old man would never admit it, the chill was beginning to bother him, and Dasril may not be as generous a master as many, but he respected his servants and treated them well. Jeffrey's health was of his concern, no doubt if he fell ill the entire manor would fall apart. The Goddesses know the rest of the help were incompetent without his direction.

He wandered deep into the forest, situated half on the side of a mountain the terrain was uneven in places and rocky in most. But there was one place that was flat enough for his purposes, it was next to a limestone cliff face.

A few caves dotted the cliff but they held mainly ice keese and were not of any relevance. He'd explored them often as a child, a dangerous form of amusement since the stability of the caverns was questionable and there were many pitfalls that could easily have ended his young life. Not that his parents had cared about what he did in his spare time. They had three other children to replace him, what did it matter if he were lost to his foolishness. He considered it the greatest irony when it was they, living their comfy and carefree lifestyles, never engaging in activities that could be considered risky or unsafe, who died, leaving him the last of the Foulkes. A sickness had taken them. The doctor had explained that being outdoors and refusing to be coddled and sheltered with the others had given him a stronger immunity and so he'd been spared.

And so the fittest shall survive.

Maybe if they had toughened up a bit more they'd have stood a chance. It had been his greatest pleasure when not half a month later both his mother and father had succumbed to the same sickness, leaving him the inheritance and his father's title.

There was one area near the cliff face that was completely covered in black scorch marks as if a dragon had come to vent its anger out in this place. He liked the sound of that. Being compared to a dragon, the fiercest of all beasts.

He was no dragon, but he certainly felt like one.

Dasril stood at the edge of the clearing and let the magic flow through him. It became hot, a burning fire rushing through his veins, dying to be released. He angled his body sideways and flung his hand out. He'd release it in the most destructive way that magic could be, as fire.

A wave of flame burst from his palm. It roared and hit the cliff face at full throttle, creating a dent in the rock. He jutted out his other hand and let loose another blast, stepping forward. After the first few shots he continued flinging his magic with a wave of euphoria. Another step and he spun around, igniting the air in front of him, with the next step he crossed both his arms and circled them upwards and a tornado of fire erupted around him, spinning rapidly. The heat enticed him to do more so he made it bigger, swelling in size so that it stood as tall as the trees, flaring and blazing.

The thing he loved most about magic was that one could create a phenomenal act of power out of nothing, all one needed was energy. Fire may be the easiest of powers to conjure, even a beginner mage could cast fire, but it was also the most calamitous, and that made it satisfying.

He ended the tornado with a downward sweep of his arms.

He stood panting for a moment, perspiration forming on his brow and plastering his dark hair to his face. No doubt it made him look devilishly attractive.

He admired his handiwork. A swirling pattern on the ground showed the path of his impressive tornado, the area was wet with melted snow, and new black marks had been added to the limestone, blacker and larger than the others.

Deciding it was enough for today he started back towards the manor.

Jeffrey was there at the ready to open the door for him, having watched for his arrival. Dasril nodded as he took the glass of water from the tray that Jeffrey held out in offering and drank it down thirstily. He then took the hand towel and wiped the sweat off his face.

"Your bath is ready for you in your quarters, my Lord," said Jeffrey.

Dasril grunted in acknowledgement and started up the stairs to his room.

"Also, she is here."

Dasril turned on him abruptly. "When was this?"

"Just ten minutes after you'd gone."

He frowned. He'd been out in the woods for a full hour at least. "And why was I not informed sooner?"

Jeffrey answered unperturbed at his master's snappish tone. "You had prohibited anyone from bothering you while you trained. It's for our own protection, my Lord."

Yes, he did say that. Damn it.

Swiftly he spun on his heels and strode off. As much as he was excited that she was here, he couldn't allow her to see him like this. The workout gave him more allure, he recognized that, but he wanted her to see him only when he was at his best and that was when he was clean and smelling of sandalwood.

The bath was steaming and ready for him and he quickly stripped and immersed himself in the hot water. He had just been practicing with fire but having long become used to it the additional heat from the bath didn't bother him as he lay in to soak. He scrubbed himself down then dried off and changed into a new suit and cape. He had an attendant assist him and before long he was looking as spiffing as ever.

* * *

He watched her from his study as she glided on the ice. Her lithe figure bent in artistic forms as she spun and on occasion jumped, catching the ice perfectly with the jagged toe of her blade and landing deftly with nary a wobble.

She was vastly underdressed for the cold weather, but Dasril didn't mind. It made watching her all the more enjoyable. The entire left wall of the study was made up of floor to ceiling windows and he thought they offered a spectacular view of his front yard where she skated on the frozen surface of a small lake.

He admired her form as she did another jump, arms held close as she spun twice through the air then spread out as she landed, her golden hair drifting in the wind.

Dasril swirled his wine as he mused.

It had been two years and four months since he'd accepted her into his home. Since the Princess Zelda had been living with him.

It had completely shocked him, her sudden turn in behavior. It amazed him how such a spoiled little brat could all of a sudden flip around and turn into this mature and knowledgeable young woman. And he'd not been the only one taken by surprise.

He pondered. He supposed her overture had happened at her seventeenth birthday celebration. He remembered thinking her beautiful in that lovely gold and white gown, with pearls weaved into her hair and twisted high on her head, her eyelids painted in that feathery design that the ladies so adored these days. That thing with the eye-shadow? Yes, that had been her doing. She'd started that trend and the others had fawned over her for it and set to imitate it. As always she had revelled in the attention of her court, the Princess heir to the throne was the center of their attentions, and they doted on her simply because of that single title.

No one would dare outright admit that they thought her a spoiled whiny child.

But then… he remembered. Her birthday celebration was to last the entire day. It had been just as they'd been about to be seated for luncheon when she had suddenly become pale. She'd shivered and ignored everyone's questions of concern, and then she'd fled. She was found later, hidden in the shrubbery of the gardens collapsed.

Attacked! Some said. Cursed! Most believed. Ill, he'd thought.

People tended to overdramatize everything.

It had been when she'd awakened that she had truly baffled them all. Whatever had happened had changed her. She'd become somber and quiet. Her attitude and behavior different then how it was before. For instance, even as a frilly child she'd always been known for having a particular talent for archery, but then she started practicing ridiculous shots that ricocheted up to four times before finding the target and it always hit dead center. Her prowess with the sword – a hobby of tradition for the royal family that she had often complained about – had improved drastically until she could easily fight off three opponents at a time and still be ready for more. She'd shown an interest in politics that she had never displayed before and had been able to hold lengthy conversations with him over their standing with their neighboring countries.

To say he'd been impressed was an understatement. Somehow describing her as a brat had become inappropriate and more he saw her as the future ruler of their country.

For two months she'd been like this. In addition she'd been holing herself away in the library, barring everyone else out as she worked on something that eluded him. And that was when she'd approached him.

Dasril had had no fondness for the bratty Princess, but the person that had come to him that day had been different. They had been friends before then, although the relationship was mostly one-sided as he'd taken her for a petulant child and only associated with her because of his position as a councilmember, but she had always viewed him with calm familiarity.

He didn't know whether she trusted him more than the others, or if she thought of him because he was able to provide what she needed, but either way, she had come to him.

"_There is something I must do. I cannot tell you what it is, but it will take me away from the castle for long periods of time. I'd rather no one know of this for I fear that it pertains to the safety of all of Hyrule." _

She had looked at him so seriously then, and for all his doubts he had believed her.

"_I trust in you, Dasril. Will you lend me your assistance?"_

And by the Goddesses, he'd been unable to say no.

The next thing he knew everybody's memories of the Princess heir had been wiped. All evidence of her existence gone, her status as heir taken up by her younger brother, a poor replacement, but Zelda would have no other. No one knew of Hyrule's Princess, none but _him_.

When he'd first brought her to the manor she'd raised all sorts of inquiries from the staff. Unsurprisingly, they'd not remembered her either, for if they had then their rumors would have been unfounded.

Zelda was thought at first to be his mistress, which shocked the staff as he was known to be a man of good morals. But he was young, at the time he'd been twenty-two, accomplished and no doubt virile. Reluctantly the thought had overtaken them, perhaps it was possible? It was negated by two things. The first being that Dasril, as with the majority of those who worshipped the Goddesses, viewed matrimony as a sacred bonding, he would reserve himself for only one woman and would not submit himself to debased acts of debauchery in the meantime. Second was that his and Zelda's rooms were on complete opposite ends of the manor, a hardly functional arrangement for a pair of lovers.

Zelda remained a mystery to them. None of the staff were allowed to enter her rooms but for the head maid, and she was prudent enough to keep her silence in regards to anything and everything pertaining to Zelda, so they were left to continue wondering.

The next rumor to go about was that she was a poor victimized girl who Dasril had rescued one day off the streets and been generous enough to shelter. The staff had then treated Zelda with the utmost respect and sympathy, speaking kindly to her as if she were some fragile piece of porcelain that could shatter at the slightest touch. They continuously asked if there was anything at all that she needed and not to hesitate to ask if there was. To them she was some charity case.

That had amused Dasril to no end, but overall seemed to unfaze Zelda. She had responded negatively and kindly to all offers and had not once showed any embarrassment at their display of pity.

When they saw that she didn't act at all like some terrorized little fawn they had to once again reconsider.

Later it was decided that she was some sort of co-worker of his. She always left at a moment's notice and sometimes stayed absent for weeks. Oftentimes on her return she'd bring home an assortment of different tools and weapons, books and trinkets that he had no idea what they were used for or even why she collected them. He could sense a small trace of magic in some, but overall the rest were completely useless. As a matter of fact, she'd allowed him to keep some of them and the items on his bureau at the castle were mostly souvenirs from her wanderings. Of course, he tampered with them and made them of use, but overall they were insignificant baubles.

This last assumption was the one that stuck with the staff. It gave them an easier time when deciding how to deal with her and they simply treated her as they normally would a guest, although a much more privileged one. He'd given her free reign of the manor and authority over the servants. The staff might wonder why he respected her so, but it remained that she was his Princess and so he would serve her, as long as her demands did not impede on any order from Lord Xerthos.

On her last spin Zelda chanced to look up and notice him. She twirled around to steady herself and waved in acknowledgement before shooting off the ice. She removed her skates on a bench and replaced her boots. She then walked towards the house, running her fingers through her hair to relieve it of any knots. He lost sight of her as the overhang of the roof got in the way.

From downstairs he could hear the door opening and her lilting voice as she accepted a towel from Jeffrey, then the clacking of boots on the marble floor of the foyer. Soon she was making her way up the stairs. She let herself in the study and smiled at him.

"Dasril, I had not expected you back so soon."

Zelda rubbed the towel in her hair made wet by melted snowflakes and went to stand before the hearth, warming herself up.

Dasril sipped his wine as he eyed her. "You may sit down if you wish. A little water won't damage the furniture."

"Yes it can."

He shrugged. "Then I can simply have it replaced, or I can trade with another room."

After a moment she sat with deliberation, trying as much as she could to touch as little of the settee as possible while she dried herself off. Dasril stood and withdrew another glass from the cabinet, filling it up with red wine he held it out to Zelda.

"Thank you," she said courteously and accepted it, abandoning her attempts at wringing her hair for now in order to drink the heart warming brew.

Dasril took a spot on the opposite end of the settee, flinging his arm over the backrest, ever aware of the tips of his fingers not quite touching Zelda's shoulder.

"Have you found what it is you are looking for?" he asked flippantly, his half-hearted question was met with a frown.

"Dasril..." she intoned tersely. "I shall remind you that for no reason and with no coercion shall I reveal the intricacies of my quest. I asked for your aid on the grounds that my goal remain unclear to you, and you agreed of your own will."

Dasril nodded. "That I did." Although he was disappointed that after all this time she still would not confide in him.

"All goes well with Zellandus?" she asked, and Dasril struggled to refrain from sighing.

Zellandus, it was always about her fool of a brother.

"The gala went off with nary a hitch. The council is even now preparing for the blessing ceremony," he looked at her steadily. "Are you fine with this? If you had remained you'd be Queen by now."

Zelda held up a hand. "My decision holds fast. I do not regret anything. This is as it should be…"

He brushed his free hand through the long black locks of his hair, his thumb briefly flicking over the pointed tip of his ear. "You would make a better ruler."

Zelda smiled into her wine. "You flatter me. Now, tell me of Zellandus."

The brat Zelda would have been bouncing on her seat, the inflection of a whine in her tone, but this Zelda, this one who he found much more preferable, waited calmly for his reply, smiling kindly at him.

He was her primary source of information from Castle Town and therefore she relied on him to bring news concerning her brother. The long ventures where she took off alone he could live with, the time she spent with him in his home he relished, but he absolutely abhorred his part in their arrangement. He hated how her focus was always on her brother, how nothing else mattered as long as her brother was safe.

And he was safe for now.

If Lord Xerthos' plans came through he would not have to bother with that nuisance anymore. Zellandus would be done away with and Hyrule would be conquered by a new evil.

It was a pity that while Zelda sought to guard her kingdom he was among those who sought to destroy it.

Xerthos offered him formidable power, and who was he to refuse such a gift. He was glad in some part that Zelda would be spared the horrors of what was to come. If she had become Queen then she'd have been the one to be sacrificed for ultimate power, and by hiding herself away he could keep her all to himself, safe from Xerthos and Reth and Vivienne. They would have no need to know of her. No one needed to know that a Princess ever existed.

He sighed. "Zellandus was… attacked, the night of the gala."

"What?"

He rushed to calm her down. "He is safe. A couple of assassins made an attempt at his life, but they were brought down."

A fire lit in Zelda's eyes, flaming and bold. "Was it found who the perpetrators are?"

"No. They were unable to even reveal the identities of the assassins."

"They escaped?"

"They died, I was told, in a flash of smoke," he scoffed. "Preposterous, I assure you. Tall tales that bear no significance and are completely exaggerated."

"Have the council taken safeguards to insure my brother's safety?" she demanded. "I want this incidence investigated and the ones guilty caught at once."

No matter that nobody knew of her existence Dasril was still obliged to relay her orders in her stead and to carry them out.

"You don't think that the council would have let this pass without a suitable counter?" he said with feigned hurt. "We are making headway on the assassination attempt. I assure you, we'll find the ones responsible." Hah, they'd discover it was Reth only if he wanted to be found out. Not only that, Reth was the minister of intelligence and rooting out spies and cutthroats fell to him. "Security in the palace has also been doubled. The Prince has even gone so far as to acquire a new personal bodyguard, although I do not see why he simply does not call those Sheikah to his aid."

"They would never leave him completely alone," said Zelda knowingly. "No matter how much he orders them away, at least one Sheikah, Brula notwithstanding, will be there, watching over him from the shadows."

That is what rankled him about the Sheikah. Sly little snakes. One could never fully tell if you were being tailed or not. Dasril had made it a habit of his to be on alert and continuously probe his surroundings with his magic to sense out their dark essence.

"About this bodyguard, who is it?" Zelda asked.

Dasril grimaced as he thought of Link. He was remarkable with a sword, better by far than himself, he'd give him that. Honestly, he didn't care what sort of company the Prince kept. It wouldn't matter in the end with Xerthos' plans.

"Some boy from Heron Falls. The Prince claims that they are close friends, but I know he lies," said Dasril. "He was the one who assisted the Prince in diverting the assassination attempt. He is called Link."

Zelda suddenly sat frigid, her hands constricting around her glass so still that it looked as if they were the hands of a statue.

"Link…"

Now this was interesting. "You know of him?"

"I know the name…" she said quietly, her pure blue eyes staring intensely into the fire.

Dasril watched her cautiously. Was she shaking?

She stood abruptly, losing her grip on her glass, only Dasril's sharp reflexes prevented it from tumbling to the floor and spilling all over.

She rounded the settee and quickly strode out the door. Dasril rushed to levitate the glass down and follow her.

He caught sight of the trails of her hair as she disappeared down another corridor.

"Zelda? Zelda wait!"

What was this all of a sudden? What was it about that name that merited such a reaction? By no means was this in any way close to similar to the types of fits she used to throw as a brat, but for her present personality it was drastic.

Some of the servants poked their heads out to see what all the commotion was, but he paid no heed to them. Heavens know what they thought of this outlandish sight, their Lord and master running after his female guest. But right now he wanted to know what it was that had gotten Zelda so bothered.

He recognized the route to her room and walked rapidly in her wake until he came to her closed doors and barged in… and was blinded as something dropped on his face.

He smelled the scent of roses and pulled it away to reveal the towel she'd been using to dry her hair. He then heard the shuffling of fabric and then something was tossed over the folding screen that Zelda was changing behind.

Dasril paused then made to compose himself, coughing softly into his fist and chucking the dampened towel onto a nearby chair.

This was highly inappropriate.

"Zelda," he began tentatively, and seeing how she replied with only a muffled yes, he assumed she didn't care that he was currently in her chambers as she stripped a mere ten paces away.

"Zelda, what's the matter? What has you so disconcerted?"

Her dress was flung across the screen then and his eyes widened disproportionally. Being the gentleman that he was, he swiftly averted them and tried not to think about the scantily clad woman behind the screen. It was a wooden type painted with delicate pink blossoms and bluebirds. Too bad it wasn't the paper kind that some people preferred. Then at least he'd get to see her silhouette.

Indecent thoughts!

Before she'd arrived such a circumstance would have undaunted him. He valued his resilience to feminine charms after all. But that was inevitably dashed now. Or perhaps the effect was stimulated because it was her?

"You say this Link hails from Heron Falls?" she asked and shuffled some more as she shimmied out of whatever piece of undergarment she'd been wearing.

"Y-yes. Although his-" he swallowed and started again, eyes wandering back to the screen as her hands briefly flashed above it. "His heritage, though, is unknown."

Why was she so concerned with Link? Had she ever been to Heron Falls?

Zelda then emerged from behind the screen, clad in a silk robe of royal blue with gold leaf pattern along the trim. Her hands were fisted inside the sleeves and he thought that childish act was quite cute.

His eyes fell to her bare feet, padding quietly across the floor.

"You are correct in that I am acquainted with someone named Link," she said smoothly. "I am merely… frustrated because I cannot allow myself to go and confirm if he is the same man."

He forced himself to remember that he was a nobleman of good standing before he thought about her words. "Why ever not?" He should really not be entertaining such thoughts about his Princess.

She faltered. "I do not have the time. And also when last Link and I parted it was on… disagreeable terms. I do not wish to burden him with the reminder of what once was. He's suffered enough without having the constant source of his enmity near him."

He saw her downcast expression although she hid it well. He was then able to look past her scandalous state of dress and drew near enough to rest his hands gently on her upper arms. She didn't pull the folds of her robe closer in bashfulness nor did she shy away from his touch. She turned her head to the side and gave her profile, but Dasril felt that it was because of sadness rather than a want to shun him.

"And what were you? Young loves? Did you play marriage games with him and make promises that you'd be unable to hold to? Or was it he who made the promises and was not man enough to keep them? Did he hurt you in some way?"

Had she and this Link character been close? If so, how close? It must have been a valued relationship if she was this desperate to avoid him.

"Perhaps you can make amends? You are not the same person you were before. You've changed."

Goddesses, why was he consoling her because of a man he was increasingly growing to spite?

Zelda met his gaze then, ice blue irises connecting with his own rich brown ones.

"Yes, I have," she said silently, stepping away and making her way towards the bathing room. "I would like to bathe now. Please leave."

"As you wish," he acquiesced, and backed out of her chamber, watching her as she disappeared into the bathing room. He stepped out, closing the door firmly behind him.

He shot warning glares at the few servants hovering curiously in the area and they bolted suddenly finding themselves busy. No doubt the rumors surrounding him and Zelda would only escalate. They probably saw this new closeness as blooming love. Dasril was mildly surprised to find he was not quite bothered by it as he normally would have been.

He thought about what she had said as he strolled down the corridors. She'd been so content with her life at the manor. So merry and free, but at the mere mention of that man's name…

He stopped and inhaled deeply, his eyes steeling.

The past could be buried, but the future… the future one had to face full front. Link was the past… and he was the future.

* * *

Zelda flopped down on her fluffy bed, a mass of pillows really. She'd just finished her bath and was dressed in her night shift and heavy gown to stave off the cold. Hastily she buried herself under the covers and relaxed into the downy mattress. She wore socks to bed as well, something that she'd never been allowed to do at the castle, but here she was free to make her own decisions, and even then with the knowledge that she had now none would have been able to stop her from doing whatever she wanted. A right she had exercised when she'd kicked everyone out of the library and hoarded all the books to herself. Her attendants had been shocked, but none could object when it was a direct order.

She tried not to think about it while she'd been taking her bath, but now with nothing to do but think until she fell asleep her thoughts were full of him.

Back two and a half years ago her memories had hit her like a rock fall and she'd been pummelled. She'd mused in her room for days, troubled, she hadn't known what to do. Should she look for Link or should she wait for him to come to her? But then that day long ago came back to her. That time he'd showed her his true feelings. He resented her, he abhorred her, she was impeding on his life each and every time.

He could not have discussed it in lighter tones? He had to disgrace her and actively tear at her heart to convey his feelings on the matter?

But he was right. It was she who had been at fault. She'd been presumptuous, taking for granted what had always been there. She'd been so scared of change she had tethered him to her like a dog to a peg. She bore him as a decoration in court, she pushed aside his desires in favor of the stability he provided. It was no wonder they'd drawn apart.

She as well remembered her death so vividly. Remembered the pain, the haze of her last few hours, seeing Link, hearing his voice… so sad… so agonized.

He had told her he regretted the words he'd said. He regretted every folly he'd committed against her. But Zelda knew that his admittance that day in the study bore the repressed thoughts that had been festering in his mind for decades, perhaps centuries. That had probably been the most truthful he'd ever been to her in all their lives.

He'd been miserable and spiteful, and it was she who had made him that way. She'd been privileged her entire existence, born into royalty, pampered time and time again, and so she thought why should she be denied the husband she wanted? It had taken a scathing lecture from that husband to make her realize that people could not be collected as inanimate objects could. Link had never been hers to keep. She had no right to him.

It was with this mindset that she had sequestered herself in the library, delving through the numerous monstrous tomes until she'd found something that would suit her intentions.

And so she'd blocked the world's memories of her. No one would spare her a passing glance on the street now, so thoroughly had her spell worked. As for Link… she relieved him of his duty as hero. In his place she would seek out Ganondorf and stop his tyranny before it even began.

Link could live that happy insouciant life he'd always wanted. She wouldn't be there to interfere.

On to the primary reason of her undertakings… Ganondorf had either yet to make his move or he was working with sly precision before he released his first attack. But she was getting close.

Word of mouth told of an Augurer, a dark wizard with hordes of monsters at his beck and call willing to do his whim. This last venture had taken her to the deep canyons that separated the land of Termina from Hyrule, and there she had found evidence of a monster camp, larger than they'd ever become without some greater force to bring them all together, and among them only the faintest traces of a magical signature. The Augurer had been there not too long ago, heading southward, but it was there that she'd lost the trail as the terrain became hard stone and as they'd reached the river. There was no telling where they had crossed and Zelda had become dispirited before using a warp stone to teleport back to the manor.

There was no doubt in her mind that the Augurer was Ganondorf himself or a general of his, in either case he could not continue to roam Hyrule overlooked.

She had not informed Dasril of this to take before the council simply because the council was already aware of the menace and had taken measures to deal with it as best they could. But there was little any of them could do against the great King of Thieves. Only one with the Triforce stood a chance.

She shifted on the bed, hugging a pillow to her as she set her chin on its plushy bulk. She frowned as she considered the new information that Dasril had brought to her.

People dying in smoke… Dasril had trivialized it, but she had a feeling that it bore more importance than he let on. She might have to pay a visit to the old Sheikah village to find her answers, but intuition told her that there was something spurious about it all.

A tapping at the window made her look up and there on the floor of her balcony was a bedraggled looking bird. Upon closer inspection she saw that it was a hawk bearing a canteen tied with a cord to its leg. He skipped impatiently as Zelda hastened to open the balcony doors and let him in, along with a flurry of snow. She quickly closed the door and latched it shut, wiping away the few snowflakes that clung to her.

She approached the hawk and once she released the canteen from his leg he fluttered over to the backrest of her vanity chair and ruffled his feathers to get rid of as much liquid as possible. He then tucked his head under his wing, clearly exhausted.

Zelda admired him for braving such harsh snowy weather, and for continuing on even as it became dark. Queen Zora must have been in a persnickety mood when she sent him.

Uncapping the canteen, Zelda fingered the inside and pulled out the letter. She unrolled it and perused it with one sweep of the eyes.

"Thirty thousand rupees?" she murmured quietly, both amused and appalled that the Queen would be demanding so much.

She had shared a correspondence with Queen Helerra for a short period now. Of course the Queen did not know who she was, to her Zelda was an anonymous purchaser who had claimed her metaphorical ear with the promise of riches. But she hadn't quite expected the Queen to demand this much.

"Thirty thousand for a simple hookshot?" she exclaimed once more. It was not that she lacked the funds, she had opened a private account that she'd filled with a vast amount of her personal wealth before she'd carried out her plan, but this might just make a small dent in it.

The Queen made it clear at the end of the note that she was not interested in bargaining and that if the price was too high for her she'd find another purchaser. Zelda really had no choice but to concede. The very thought of such a valuable item in the hands of some neophyte adventurer bothered her exceedingly.

She sat at her desk and pulled out a blank parchment to pen her reply with the promise of the thirty thousand rupees by the end of the week. She trusted the Queen not to double cross her, but honestly she wasn't too certain how Queen Helerra interacted with other people. As the Princess they'd been friends, able to relate with each other and oftentimes they'd have fun ordering their attendants about, sending them on the most ridiculous errands. As her friend she trusted her implicitly, but as strangers… Queen Zora was known for her slyness, there was no mistake about that, the very means as to how she had even acquired the hookshot was questionable – and secretly she hoped she wasn't trying to make a profit off of Link's things – but would she lack honor enough to dupe somebody?

She flashed a cursory glance at the messenger hawk and decided she'd wait to send the letter on the morrow. They had a regular postman that ran all over Hyrule delivering mail, and it astounded her how reliable and swift he was, but she specifically requested their letters to be sent via hawk. She didn't want to bring more attention to herself than what was necessary, she'd rather be seen by as few people as possible. Even if she had full confidence in her memory spell, she didn't want to chance her appearance triggering something.

With any luck the Queen would reply soon and the transaction made with little hassle.

The hookshot was a necessary item, no doubt it would come in handy on her next venture, and perhaps…

Castle Town was on the way to her next destination, and she needed to stop there for her withdrawal… maybe she could drop in and check on Zellandus and Link…?

No! Out of the question! It was too risky!

She'd been a Sheikah in one of her previous lives so she trusted in her stealth, what posed the risk was her heart. It wouldn't be able to withstand the longing and the painful yearning for what could no longer be. She had no right to him.

But… if it was just to confirm his identity, to see if it really was Link, and to make certain that he fared well…?

Only this once. Only once would she check on him, after that she'd put him from her mind. It was too bad she could not put him so easily from her heart. Their union might have been a shambles, but beneath it all she truly had loved him, despite the awkwardness and misunderstandings. He'd always been someone she could depend on, and she hoped that she'd been the same for him…

She went to bed thinking of him and both anticipating and dreading seeing him again.

* * *

**A/N: Generala you were practically on the dot with this one, so congrats! ^^ **

**Initially I had wanted Link to find Zelda once he reached castle town and both of them together would take down Ganondorf or maybe end him for good. But then I thought, that wouldn't be as interesting as **_**this**_**! Zelda is a woman and as such is sensitive no matter how tough her exterior, so I brought out all her uncertainties and doubts and gave the story a little twist. Zellandus was just a bonus idea that I had (I don't normally like OC siblings, but he was necessary to make this more interesting).**

**I mention the manor being on Snowpeak. You guys can speculate if it's the same manor as the Yeti mansion in Twilight Princess or not. I'll be leaving that open ended.**

**Here you get a little insight of how Zelda and Link's relationship was during their marriage(s) and what drew them apart. You never appreciate what you have until it's gone. Essentially they took each other for granted and realized it too late. I suppose in some ways this might reflect on real marriages. **

**Don't hesitate to pm me if you have any questions/concerns and what have you. For now, please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Some have asked how the timeline goes in this story and which lives do Link and Zelda remember. Here it is (and I'm following the actual timeline here). So it goes: Skyward Sword, The Minish Cap, Four Swords, Ocarina of Time (this is where events break off and start three separate paths but here I follow the Twilight Realm one), Majora's Mask, and Twilight Princess. In regards to this story, Link and Zelda only remember the Ocarina of Time period and onward, plus a few added lives in between that do not exist in the series. Hopefully that clears up some of that for you. There would be around 100-500 years in between each lifetime, a lot I know, but that's how I like to interpret it.**

**Thanks to erico637, EllaSwanson, Generala, ObscurityProject, Flik98, Death Waltz, PrincessPeach, sorasqueenb, Bloodspire, allyssagrace16, and Nahelo for reviewing! **

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Link had no choice but to keep close to Zellandus, but he purposefully placed a strict mental barrier in his mind and enforced some restraints. No more touching, not even supportive clasps' on the shoulder, no more thinking of him as Zelda. No. He would control himself. Control his emotions before they made him do something incriminating.

He was relieved in a sense when Brula had abruptly pulled the prince away. She had something to discuss with Zellandus in private and so they'd left him. For the first time in days he was not there to accompany the prince, so was able to freely wander the halls in this rare moment of leisure time. Not leisure actually. Most of the time spent with Zellandus was practically all leisure – Zelda had never been so lazy in her time…

And no matter how he tried, he always managed to somehow compare Zellandus to Zelda. This had to cease!

What he meant was that this was the first moment since he became Zellandus' personal bodyguard that he had time for himself, with no one around to disturb him. Taking advantage of this, he prudently avoided all the main areas where the nobility liked to socialize. This included the gardens, presence chamber, and the state apartments, as well as the kitchens – a particular hotspot for many of the tubbier Lords and Ladies.

Link wandered the halls absently, but then he came upon something that immediately caught his eyes. A pair of white painted double doors came into vision with golden swirls painted elaborated along the edges and a beautiful gold-inlaid harp on one door with a similarly inlaid violin on the other.

He reached his hand forward and touched the wood, transfixed. Then he opened the door and entered the music room.

The heavy curtains had been drawn shut, casting the room in darkness. Link went over to one and flung it open, fastening it with the ropes on either side. He surveyed his surroundings. Placed dead center in the room was a beautiful grand piano, the polished white of its surface and the lack of dust showed that it was well used. Either that or the servants paid remarkable attention while cleaning it. Off to the side was a sitting area with an elegant full-sized harp. He gazed at it longingly, reminded of Zelda. Further on a shelf lined the wall filled with all sorts of musical volumes.

Atop the stand on the piano one such volume lay open, displaying an array of black notes.

Without hesitance, Link took out his own violin from his pouch, magically enlarging as it emerged, and opened the case. He rosined the bow and tightened it then he set to tuning the strings.

When he was prepared, he placed bow to string and began to play. It was a song he was not familiar with it, slow and calming, like the wind on a spring day. Link focused on each note and played it with all the gracefulness of a symphonic composer.

He paused to turn the page, then continued playing, allowing the music to settle in his soul and relax him.

This was just what he needed. After so trying a week at the prince's side, he needed music to soothe his raging emotions, his worries all swept away with the melody.

The composition was eight pages long and he made a few mistakes while playing, but eventually he reached the end and decided he quite enjoyed that piece.

He turned to another page and saw that this was one he remembered. The serenade of water written for the piano and with many more movements added in.

He played this one perfectly since he was already familiar with it then moved on to the next song. He played until he had enough, feeling well rested and at peace.

As he closed the book the room became unnaturally cold. With a ruffling of fabric he was suddenly immersed in intense darkness. The curtain he had previously opened had been closed. Link looked around the room, his form tense. He listened as he waited for his eyes to dilate. There was nothing there.

And yet, he didn't pass it off as a fluke. He sensed something dark, a faint presence. There was definitely something in here with him.

Then came the laughter, multiple voices all at once.

Link carefully laid down his violin and moved his hand back to his sword.

…_**Hero of legends…**_

The eerie voice sent a shiver down his spine and Link abruptly looked around for its originator.

His hand closed around the hilt. "Who are you?"

Could this be…?

It didn't sound like his voice. Ganondorf's was deeper and with a jeering taint to it. This one was hollow with no inflection at all, as if it were the dead talking.

…_**Hero…Hero…**_

He drew his sword, wishing earnestly that he had his shield on him. It would have also been helpful had he also had the lens of truth. What had that Queen said happened to it? Something about it disappearing? How could she lose such a valuable artifact?

Ever listening, he walked forward, turning to look around. He made it to the curtains, intending to once again shed light on the room. He went to pull the heavy fabric aside but as his fingers neared they were zapped. He drew back his hand, hissing in pain.

"What the?"

A barrier had appeared, black with red sparks. It ran all the way around the wall, blocking any means of escape.

Well that was fine by him. He hadn't intended on escaping.

…_**Ha…ha…ha…**_

"Show yourself!"

Link would never admit to being afraid. Frankly it was impossible for anything to scare him anymore because of all he'd been through, but this was as creepy as they come. He could handle it though. He was well acquainted with creepy. Ghosts and such were only frightening until one learned how to defeat them. With that knowledge they became no more than a small hurdle to overcome.

…_**We feel you hero…**_

…_**We feel hate…we feel anger…we feel the urge to kill…**_

…_**your heart is black!**_

Link tried to pinpoint the voice to no avail. "What is this madness?"

Why was this enemy playing games with him? What was the purpose?

He hated facing anything unseen. It bothered him immensely when he did not know his opponent. And it bothered him doubly when they taunted him with things they thought they knew about him.

They were wrong.

…_**Your soul sings for blood…**_

…_**Fountains of blood…**_

…_**You thirst to kill…**_

He peered into the darkness trying to sense out his opponent. He could feel a black malice swooping over him, putting pressure to his soul.

He snarled. "You're wrong!"

…_**Yet you still kill…**_

…_**Yet you still draw blood…**_

The voices rang as an eerie chorus.

Yes it was true, he did kill, but only in defense, only those who sought to do harm to him or those close to him.

It still remained that he'd killed thousands, through each lifetime, any and all monsters he'd come upon, he slew. And not just monsters, sometimes it had been Hylians too, turned by the forces of evil. They had stood in his path to save Hyrule and refused redemption.

Their blood was on his hands.

But he did not relish it. He hated killing! He did it because he had to!

"Whoever you are, leave at once. If you insist on posing a threat then I shall have to vanquish you," said Link strongly, his words reaching all corners of the room.

The dark presence flared almost as if it were angry… no… amused. He could feel their sadistic glee leaking from the walls.

…_**You are guilty…**_

…_**You are traitorous…**_

Traitorous? No he wasn't! He wasn't! The only traitorous act he'd committed had been…

Whatever this demon was it was reading his deepest emotions, picking out through his regrets and fears.

…_**Where do your loyalties lie…**_

What?

…_**You yearn for it…**_

…_**His blood…**_

…_**You yearn for your prince's blood…**_

…_**Tear him apart…**_

…_**Slice his heart as you've done to so many others…**_

Link snarled. How dare they! "You question me? Fine, then I shall answer. My loyalty is forever to Hyrule and its sovereign. I vow to protect the prince with my very life, I swear I'll do everything I can so that nothing may harm him." He glared at the ceiling for that is where he felt the most dark energy emanating from. "I feel hate for my enemies, it is they who ignite my anger, and if they do not step down only then shall they meet the sharpness of my blade."

…

…_**You lie…**_

…_**Blood…you seek blood…**_

Link grit his teeth, his sword arm quivered. "Enough."

…_**His blood…**_

…_**You want to stain your hands with his blue blood…**_

…_**Tear…**_

…_**Slash…**_

…_**Kill…**_

"I said enough!" he snarled.

The next instant the doors were being thrown open and light footsteps entered.

"Stop this at once! There is no need to further torment him," said Brula staring ahead calmly.

Slowly the black barrier began to fade away, the voices became silent. The pressure was gone. Link released a shuddering breath from repressed anger. He felt the presence fade, the heavy coldness of the room subsiding.

Without sheathing his sword he glared at Brula, who seemed to be involved.

"What was that!?"

Brula met his gaze sturdily. "A race that you are very familiar with, I'm sure."

Familiar with? Nothing he'd ever encountered had done… had done that! Had been capable of shaking him so thoroughly. He'd been taunted and jeered at by enemies before, but not to that extent, not when the goal wasn't to humiliate but to drive him insane.

"Did I not warn you, your highness?" said Brula.

To Link's surprise, Zellandus revealed himself at the threshold and stepped in, rubbing his arms and visibly shivering. "I had no idea they'd go this far. I just let them out to play a little."

"They're not dogs!" shot Brula sharply. "Torture methods are their specialty, you should have anticipated this!"

Zellandus stood stiff and looked around uneasily. "And the way they said my name! My dear dazzling Nayru! I hope never to hear it upon their lips ever again! Gives me chills. Did you have to talk about killing me in such a fashion?"

Then it hit him. The Sheikah were known for their mastery at interrogation and torture. He'd just never been on the receiving end on it.

…_**It was necessary…**_

Link jumped as that same bone-chilling voice as before met his ears, although this time it was a single voice speaking rather than a multitude of them.

"And…" Zellandus waved his hand, pressing the voice on.

…

"Hah! I knew it," he muttered.

At Link's quizzical expression, Brula tapped her cane and went on to explain. "The Sheikah were only to assess you and scope out your sincerity. It seems they found you decent."

Oh, that was fine now was it? "Where are they?" Link gritted, slowly resting his shoulders as he sheathed his sword.

"They'll only possess corporeal forms when I demand it, or if there is some danger to deal with," said Zellandus languidly. "If you think you're spooked out try living with them since birth. Imagine hearing random voices telling you 'you shouldn't do that', 'danger lurks beyond that path', 'it's time for bed, your highness'." Zellandus shuddered. "Truly traumatizing. Took father ages to convince me that I was not going mad, that the voices were there to protect me."

"I've never heard of Sheikah acting that way," said Link, frowning.

"That is because they are no longer as they had once been," explained Brula. "The Sheikah have always teetered close to extinction. Soon all that remained were ten of us. Out of the remaining Sheikah eight in our clan sacrificed themselves and became immortal beings."

"Immortal beings?" asked Link. Goddesses, what has happened since he'd last been alive?

"They chose to be bound to the royal family in an inseparable way. Now they live forever, but as such they lose their Hylian capabilities. They have no need for nourishment, but they do need rest and energy to properly function. Rather than remain in a physical body they reside in the shadows for Zellandus to call upon whenever the need arises. They will ever be alert for threats against his highness. Zellandus chooses them for his most important espionage tasks."

Zellandus scoffed. "More like you choose them." At Brula's deafening pause, he impatiently waved. "Well, go on."

Brula cleared her throat. "As I said, we use them to spy and seek out the most villainous inhabitants in Hyrule."

Link thought about it and recognized the enormous benefits that would come from such an advantage. "But they're bound? They become prisoners?"

"They wouldn't consider themselves prisoners. Their fate is what they agreed to," said Brula solemnly. "Every Sheikah has sworn an oath to defend the Hylian monarchy. They'd do anything to uphold this oath."

"But then, can they ever be killed?"

"I would not risk telling you even if I knew," said Brula, and she hobbled over to the door and placed her hand on it. That same barrier she'd used in Zellandus' royal suite swept over each surface. "Now that you have been deemed worthy, I shall fill you in."

So, even as Link wanted to stick close to Zellandus to monitor him, Zellandus had also kept watch on Link as well. Zellandus already possessed capable guards, he had no real need for Link.

He recalled what Zellandus had said. That he shall be Zellandus' visible guard.

He smirked. Wise move, making him think that he was accepted and trusted while the whole time they were evaluating him, although he did not particularly enjoy the deception. It must have been Brula's idea. Those Sheikah were sneaky.

And had he forgotten all that they did for the royal family? No wonder he'd been so creeped out. He remembered eons ago fearing Impa, who with only a single glance could chill any capable soldier to the bone. She'd brought many a person to their knees that way, some weeping, some wetting themselves, some confessing to wrongdoings even if they had not been suspected of anything.

Brula brought her hand down and placed it over the other on her cane. "I'm certain you are aware of the situation in Hyrule. Our time of peace has come to an end. Evil has returned and only you can stop it."

As always. But this time he didn't mind at all. The Sheikah were correct. He did desire blood and death, Ganondorf's. He'd stop him before he had a chance to manifest himself.

So the old Sheikah had been withholding information. He gazed at her with steel eyes. "Tell me what you know."

"It gladdens me that you so readily accept your fate," said Brula. "Now listen closely. There is one who has been causing a stir, he is powerful and has inspired many dark tales among our soldiers. He roams the land calling himself the Augurer."

Link narrowed his eyes. "And what sort of being is this Augurer?"

Brula became somber. "A dark wizard who surrounds himself with monsters. Few have ever seen him up close and those who have say that he hides his face. He wears a suit of black armor and a horned helm with the visor always down."

Link's eyes flashed and he and Brula shared knowing glances, both thinking the same thing.

Zellandus interrupted the moment with a loud huff. "Surely you don't actually believe that this no account ruffian is that King of all things evil fellow reborn do you?"

At their terse expressions Zellandus let out a laugh. "You do? How absurd, even more absurd than your foolish belief that this hero shares the very same soul and memories as all the previous ones. Imagine, someone experiencing life over and over again."

Link tensed and turned to Brula. "You told him about that?" He had suspected she'd known but thought her wise enough to keep this knowledge to herself.

Brula merely closed her eyes. "He needed to know. Not that he places any faith in the rebirth cycle. Foolish boy. Lives with magic all around him and still thinks there are things in this world that are impossible."

"That's because there are," snorted Zellandus.

Brula nodded. "Yes, for us that is. But not with the divine will of the Goddesses."

Link wanted to spare himself from listening to their debate. "What about this Augurer? Where is he?"

He could reproach them later. He needed to get them back on track.

"Search me," said Zellandus, crossing his arms. "He seems like just a low account mage trying to grab himself some attention."

"I believe he is more a threat than you perceive him to be," said Brula to Zellandus, before addressing Link. "This Augurer has proven to be elusive, constantly on the move and not always among his hordes. He keeps us on our toes, but there is something strange about him. The Augurer has never outright actively attacked anyone. Our scouts think that he is first slowly building up his forces. The council does not know what to do about it. Half say that we should eliminate him before he does pose a problem, while the other half say we cannot act in offense unless the Augurer strikes first. They think we can do no more than send out our forces with a battle mage in each division to track him down and keep a look out. Good-willed, but a futile effort. If it is Ganondorf then there's nothing we can do against him. Not only that but the Augurer goes onto foreign soil often. He's been spotted in many different countries. It doesn't help that he wears the symbol of the Triforce on his front. Our neighbors are starting to believe that this is a show of force from Hyrule and consider it a threat."

The symbol of the Triforce? Then it must be Ganondorf, who else would display such a symbol so proudly, showing off his entitlement.

"Is that what the dispute with Labrynna was about?" asked Link.

It was Zellandus who answered with a sigh. "Yes. And no matter how many times I insist that we have nothing to do with the Augurer that darn Ambassador won't see reason. Thinks we're planning an assault, that we want to take over their country. Why we would ever want that puny and downright ugly piece of soil is amiss. She's just jealous of our fair Hyrule, that's what I say."

"And why haven't you ordered the Sheikah on his tail? They could keep an eye on him silently from the shadows," said Link, irately.

From around him the shadows flickered and a heaviness set about the room. The curtains fluttered madly and Link could feel the traces of whispy hands grabbing at his tunic. He looked down at himself and backed up in shock. He felt the hands, but saw nothing.

Brula hit her cane on the floor, the thud loudly reverberating. "Quiet down! No need to throw a tantrum. The hero asks a valid question."

Abruptly the atmosphere calmed as the shadows receded. Link felt the rapidness of his heart rate. Zellandus threw him a glance seeming to say 'see what I mean?'. Link shared his sentiments. These ghostly apparitions were infinitely more disturbing than their physical forms had been.

"In answer to that," said Brula. "They have already tried that, but they find it difficult to follow when one can warp whenever they wish."

"So he can teleport," said Link. That did not surprise him. Teleportation had been one of Ganondorf's most prominent magical techniques.

"They latch onto their prey's shadow and as with the body, that shadow disappears when a person warps and they cannot keep hold of it during the process. As you see, we've been hard pressed to keep track of him."

"But what is he waiting for? Why does he not do anything?" asked Link, truly baffled.

Zellandus reiterated. "Search me." He yawned widely and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. "As much as I find this conversation engaging, I find it also depressing. Why must you be so serious all of the time? I understand with you Brula, being so old, you're as miserly as they get, but for you as well Link? I'm shocked."

Link tossed him an amused smirk. "You forget. I have centuries on you both."

The prince sighed in utter languor. "And I _still_ do not believe in that."

But Link thought it might be that Zellandus didn't want to admit that he could be the princess of destiny reborn.

"I've talked to Byron and we've decided that from now on we'll pool our information in order to find out what's going on," said Brula. "We'll keep you updated on the circumstances and shall call upon you when we decide to meet. Until then…" Brula snapped her fingers.

A dark shadow bulged on the ceiling, sliding down the wall and along the floor. Link took a stance as it melded with his shadow then stilled.

"As with Zellandus, one of the Sheikah shall be with you. He shall be hidden unless you require him. Feel free to give him tasks that you yourself would not be able to complete or that may aid you in your quest, but remember because of their sacrifice they remain in shadow form. It takes them great amounts of energy to take physical form so they shall not do so unless circumstances are dire."

Link moved his feet around precariously as if afraid of squishing the Sheikah then thought it foolish because it was incorporeal. For some reason he felt more icky than before although he knew nothing had so much as touched him. He also felt a profound darkness about him now.

He didn't like the idea of having someone there to order around at a whim, but he acknowledged that it could prove advantageous. It might take a while to get used to though.

"It feels… odd," he said after a moment.

"I know what you mean," Zellandus bemoaned. "There goes your privacy, your freedom, you're virtually being stalked. Now you know that there's always someone with you."

"So, that accounts for two, where are the other six Sheikah?" asked Link.

He hated talking about them as if they weren't here, but this didn't seem to bother Brula, or maybe she just hid it. He didn't know quite how to term them. Were they still persons or could they be considered something else?

"Two more are with us but the last four are out keeping watch over potential enemies," Brula answered.

"Are none searching for Ganondorf?"

"When next he is sighted they shall be dispatched. In the meantime it is a waste when we have our soldiers to do that for us," said Brula.

Link sensed the added darkness to his shadow stirring. This was going to take a while to get used to.

* * *

"What's all this?"

Zellandus came forward to look out the window and huffed. "The citizens are preparing for the festival in two days. Before the blessing ceremony there is always a gala in which foreign guests and nobles are the main attendance, and soon after there's a festival for the common people, although many of the nobles attend that too."

Ah, that was it. He'd almost forgotten about that.

They were enjoying a rare moment of peace in the solarium. Earlier the servants had entered to open all the windows and serve them tea. A cool wind blew in the room, ruffling the fronds of the various potted plants and the tail end of the tablecloth. Sunlight beamed through at every angle, and the dome that formed the ceiling was clear glass and allowed the full shine to cascade down on them. A fountain at one end of the room trickled water into a clear pool inlaid with white and gold tiles set in a mosaic pattern.

Link brought his cup of deku tea to his lips, sipping slowly. As per usual he drank it plain without any added condiments, contrary to the Prince who he witnessed adding a copious amount of sugar and cream and a dash of honey. He cringed at the thought of how sweet that would taste.

"It seems the perfect opportunity for another attack," said Link, eyeing Zellandus who licked his lips after drinking a large gulp of his tea – if it could be called that anymore, it was more honey and milk. "You shouldn't push me away at the festival as you did at court. This time I must remain at your side."

He would take no risks when it came to Zellandus' safety.

A dark feminine voice intoned from beneath Zellandus' feet.

_**No need. That is why I am here.**_

Link's brows pinched. He would never get used to that.

Zellandus scowled and stomped his heel on the floor, hitting his shadow. "Will you stop doing that!" He stomped twice more as if with firm belief that the Sheikah hiding within could actually feel the blows. Link imagined she was rolling her eyes right now.

Zellandus ground his heel in emphasis then strode to his seat, plopping down daintily. "That was Carus. She takes her duty so seriously it's sickening, and she takes offense to anyone who so much as suggests that she's not adequate enough to handle things herself."

_**We feel no emotion.**_

The prince looked around the seat of his chair at his shadow. "You keep telling yourself that."

Link coughed. "Nevertheless. You'll be exposed at the festival. I recommend you wear chain mail or some other form of protection."

Zellandus waved at him dismissively. "Yes yes, dear Brula has everything planned down to a T. No worries there. That's why the Sheikah have been called back, to keep their eyes and ears open during the event. They'll be able to sense anyone with killer intent and report it to one of us."

For a moment they drank their tea quietly. Then the sounds of laughter from beyond the doors signaled the presence of a group of people. All of a sudden the doors were being swept open and in strode James with Wist and a gaggle of women at his side. To Link's moderate surprise, Amy was also there. Pity. From the short time he'd known her he figured her to be a woman of refinedness.

Zellandus instantly sought out Wist and narrowed his eyes at the man. Link did wonder why the prince felt so much aversion towards him. From the time he'd spent with him he could deduce that he was honorable and noble, as Zellandus himself had described him. Perhaps it was one of those cases of instant dislike with no reason to it?

The group stopped when they saw who else occupied the room and James laughed heartedly.

"Ah, apologies. I was not previously aware that someone else had claimed this room before us," he said flippantly.

Zellandus cast a glance towards Link. "This is what happens when you invite guests within your home. Think they can just take over the whole place," he murmured from the corner of his mouth.

Link sipped his tea, but kept a wary eye on the lot in case the situation got sour.

Zellandus said aloud to his guests. "And I was not aware that you had access to my private rooms. Has Brula given you permission? Or have you lost your direction and happened to stray into the royal wing?"

The women surrounding James all tensed in apprehension. James only laughed. "Come now, we've known each other long enough to be considered friends."

"Matter of opinion," hissed Zellandus lowly to Link.

"I simply wanted to show these beauties Castle Town from the best viewpoint and I remember from when I was young that this was the best room to see such a sight."

James' words appeared to boost the women's morale for at once they all clamored for his assent.

"Oh, please let us look," said one of the women.

"James has promised that it would be most spectacular."

They continued their pleading and convincing, and James sneered.

It was obvious to Link that James was pushing his limits, seeing how far he could go before Zellandus put his foot down. Testing his boundaries, one could say. Zellandus had three options here: allowing it, refusing, or compromise. The first would embolden James as his boudaries extended, and make Zellandus look like a pushover. The second would have Zellandus appear harsh and unrelenting, perhaps even moody. If he were to compromise however, they'd see him as gracious and confident.

Link was assured when Zellandus chose the later.

"I suppose, but only for a moment. If you're all not gone in five minutes then you shall be thrown out."

The women all rushed to the great glass windows and peered out, giggling among themselves. James looked far too smug in Link's opinion. He glanced out the window and sneered at the sight of the multitude of people bustling about on the grounds below.

"I do not understand why you just do not do away with that tradition," he said snidely. "Consorting with peasants for an entire day almost would make anyone ill, methinks."

Zellandus shot a look at Link, but Link was far too used to these sorts of comments to be affected. He simply brushed them aside, they held no bearing over him. Actually, it surprised him that James showed such animosity. In this day and age it was unheard of to express such disrespect towards those of the lower class.

He'd been heartened whenever he witnessed one of the noblemen or women speaking cordially with the staff with little to no barriers in between. It appeared that James hadn't caught the memo.

He wondered how Zellandus would respond to this.

"Yes, so troublesome it is," said Zellandus dispassionately and James' smirk only broadened. "Don't know why I don't do away with the gala as well. It's positively exhausting, I can barely stand being around such garish people with their crude wardrobes. More than once I felt faint at the shock. And all that black! One would think that many were to attend a funeral afterwards."

Link hid his smile behind his teacup.

This was a direct mockery on James, who Link recalled Zellandus had said wore mostly black, and James recognized this and became unnaturally tense.

"Should do away with the whole court business as well. It only serves as a boring event where people exchange gossip and give mutilated fashion advice."

Amy, who had come up beside them, began to silently laugh, concealing her smile with her hand. Wist chuckled good-naturedly and James' smile tightened.

"Hanging with the likes of him?" spoke Link quietly to Amy, half-listening to Zellandus as he went on about all the changes he'd instigate once he became king. "I hadn't pegged you as such a character."

Amy only smiled serenely and whispered back. "It is not of my own volition, believe me. I follow Nadine." She indicated with a slight flick of her chin.

Link discreetly looked over and nearly sighed as the direction Amy marked was filled with the cluster of women leaning over one another to look out the window. How was he to pick out who Nadine was?

"Blonde hair, the girl in the lilac gown. That's a lighter shade of purple."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "I know what color lilac is."

Amy smiled indulgently. "Well most men among the peasantry would not. I had simply thought you one of them, or does his highness have you tutored? That would be just like him, to have you learned in all things frivolous rather than conducive."

"I'm surprised you picked that out. Most people here think I'm some foreign noble," said Link. Only the council knew that he was from Heron Falls. That was perfectly fine with him. He liked being ambiguous.

Amy gingerly reached out and fingered his wrist just above the hem of his fingerless black gloves. "Your hands give you away. Your fingers are rough and calloused, you haven't lived with the soothing oils that the nobility have."

Link pulled his wrist away, his brow furrowing as he remembered a similar incidence with Adra. Did he have to give one of these explanations again? "Listen, Amy…" he had to do this carefully. He didn't care for another 'Adra' incident. Or hell, for all he knew her father would seek to hunt him down. Best to tread lightly. "You're a very nice girl, better than those mindless cuccos for sure, but," he breathed in heavily. "I'm just not-"

"Oh, you're not about to give me one of those speeches are you," interrupted Amy, humorously, her eyes glinting with laughter. For all that she was tomboyish, she had quite the feminine appeal when she smiled.

Link may have his sights riveted on Zelda, but he had enough sense to appreciate beauty – in a platonic sense of course.

"So you're not…" he said hopeful.

Amy laughed silently. "No of course not. I'm not looking for anyone at the moment. And I can see that you're already interested in someone."

"Really?" he asked. "How can you tell?"

"Have no fear, it's not obvious. It's difficult to spot, but I can tell in the way you too easily spurn any woman who tries to capture your attention. Also your eyes tend to linger and your voice changes, not to mention you as well become jealous."

Wait a moment… Eyes linger? Jealous? "What?"

She smirked and looked pointedly over to the left. Zellandus stood listening to Wist, his eyes cast upwards in boredom.

Link looked at her in disbelief, but Amy only smiled secretively at him.

"An interesting choice, but somehow I do not believe it will work out. As future King he would eventually have to produce heirs if he wants to keep the throne in the direct line so he'd be forced to take a mistress, and as I said, you get easily jealous, I saw the way you were glaring at the women the other day for simply gawking at him."

Oh Goddesses! He knew it had been inane of him to pine after Zelda in Zellandus. Had he done anything in his interactions with the prince that would have given it away? Had Zellandus noticed anything queer?

Below him he felt his shadow stirring in interest.

He shifted uncomfortably. He hoped the Sheikah wouldn't report this to either the prince or Brula.

"Worry not," said Amy lightly, still smiling. "I'm more observant than most, and I'm hardly a gossip."

He'd better clear up this misunderstanding before it became fixed. "Whatever you gleaned off of your observations is false. If anything I watch him because Zellandus is my charge-"

"Zellandus, now is it?" she said gleefully, and Link reddened.

Now she was really pushing it. "I do have someone dear to me, and it is not his highness," he hissed.

Amy looked at him and at length acquiesced. "Then I believe you. Perhaps he reminds you of your love?"

He sighed. "Yes, he does. They have the same eyes." Those same ice blue eyes whose depths he loved to submerse himself in.

"The eyes, how typical," said Amy.

That they may be, but they also reflected a person's innermost being. He couldn't help but see Zelda in Zellandus. He was not generally one for romance, but he figured that it was common to reference the eyes.

"Your highness, we are done here. Thank you for letting us look out onto the scenery." One of the women approached the prince and bowed.

"Your generosity is well appreciated, especially since this is a private room," said another.

Each Lady bowed before leaving the room, relaying their thanks and adoration and generally simpering. Zellandus smiled and replied as courtesy dictated, patiently willing them all to leave. He looked as if he'd like nothing better than to forgo the pleasantries and boot them all out at once.

A woman, who Link recognized as Nadine – blonde hair, the only girl with a lilac dress -, beckoned to Amy.

Amy smiled at him. "I apologize if I have embarrassed you in any way, I really do enjoy your company."

"And I yours," replied Link genuinely.

She smiled and waved in parting. "Adieu then."

Nadine had been watching and hastily ambushed her as they left. Link could see the blonde girl chatting excitedly to Amy before they turned out of sight.

James and Wist were the last to go. As always Wist smiled pleasantly at the prince, who suppressed a frown.

"Thanks again, your highness. I simply cannot wait for the festival. No matter that James dislikes it, I've always enjoyed being among the peasants. Such a cheery lot," said Wist.

Zellandus strained a smile. "Not one for formality, are you?"

Wist shook his head. "Oh no, I do love formal parties, partying in general actually."

What Lord didn't? Every night was a party to them, Link hadn't attended so many balls in eons. Wasn't the gala enough? But as Zellandus had drawled – more like whined – they had to have a means of keeping their guests entertained, as if daily court and events were not adequate enough.

James gave a short bow and left last, not even bothering to close the door. As soon as he was over the threshold Zellandus waved his arm and the doors shut on their own. Link's eyes briefly widened and Zellandus noticed.

"How else do you think I did that wall running trick the night of the gala? I defied the normal gravitational pull downwards and altered it within a small space so that it pulled horizontally," Zellandus explained as if it were entirely obvious.

He should have known. Well that ruled out any possibility of Link performing that same trick. He was apt in his ability to use magical objects, but he had no magic of his own with which to control.

"What was it you and Amy spoke of? It must have been a more pleasant an interaction that the one I had. Really, that James is so full of himself. Where does he get the gall to barge in here as if he owned the establishment? And Wist, oh does he never cease in his incessant talk?"

Link deposited his empty teacup on its saucer. "About the festival-"

"And that as well bothers me!" shot Zellandus. "Does James live in the old ages? Prejudice is vastly outdated, at least that against social class."

"I'll need to scope out the landscape, I'd like to keep in mind potential lurking spots convenient to hide assassins. You'll be fine with…" what was the Sheikah's name? "Carus, for the evening?"

_**Wise thinking hero.**_

The male voice shocked him until he realized it emanated from his own shadow. The Prince's own shadow he knew was a female Sheikah.

Speaking of Carus…

_**None shall harm his highness while he is in my care.**_

Carus' voice spoke volumes of contempt.

Zellandus stomped on her. "Don't be so rude!"

"He'll be fine," said Link silently to his own shadow. The Sheikah did not respond, but Link felt that he shared his sentiments.

* * *

Link was not a light sleeper in general. He'd been known to be late for work at the smithy on more occasions than he could count. On free days he could sleep in until noon, overall he cherished his sleep. To him it meant peace of mind as well as body. What made him a light sleeper now was persistence, he had forced his body to accustom itself to delve into a half unconscious state when he rested, akin to sleeping with one eye open. He trained himself to awaken at the slightest disturbance, at the softest of whispers, if anyone drew near he would know.

So as the intruder accidently bumped into the chaise he'd moved next to the window where he decided to read last night, nudging it a centimeter on the carpet, his entire being was roused. He prevented himself from shooting his eyes open, rather he kept them closed and feigned sleep so to gauge the intruder's intentions.

At the minor noise the intruder paused as if hesitant, waiting for any indication that he was awake. Link faked heavy breathing and the invader continued forward.

Link was facing away so could not discreetly observe him through slit eyes, but he sensed him, slowly inching nearer.

He inconspicuously tensed as he felt the intruder loom above him, unmoving. He shifted his hand beneath the covers ever so subtly and peeked one eye open.

From his peripheral vision he detected something moving above him, long and thin like a hand reaching out… or a knife.

He took action.

Quick as a snake he struck, grabbing the intruder's wrist, he shot out of bed and pulled him down on it. The intruder was caught by surprise, but soon recovered, twisting his wrist he slipped out of Link's hold and rolled off the bed, landing on the other side.

Link snatched his sword from its sheath and placed himself before the window. In front of him the intruder stood immersed in shadows, his form cloaked, but what caused his heart to accelerate was the covering over their face. It was a white mask, which shone stark in the moonlight, its jawline curved inwards and downwards into a sharp point so that it resembled the features of a bird of prey. Two black slits painted where the eyes were to be designated and additional black swirls were drawn downward from the center.

His memory flashed back to the duo assassins that had come for Zellandus and he immediately took an offensive stance. If this figure worked for the same employer he would not let them escape.

"Who are you! Reveal yourself!"

The intruder was trapped like cornered prey. Link stood between him and freedom. He did not reply and Link found himself furious at his continued silence.

"Surrender and you may be able to barter for your life, but if you make this difficult I'll have no choice but to forcefully eliminate you," he forewarned.

The intruder shifted as if uneasy. He took a wary step backwards and then dashed, but rather than make for the window or attack him directly, he ran for the door, jerking it open and darting through.

It took less than a second for the shock to wear off before Link made chase, sprinting after him. The invader virtually flew down the corridor, his cloak flapping behind him. They passed the doors to Zellandus' personal chambers and continued onwards down a set of stairs.

The figure moved nimbly, his dark cloak helping them to blend in with the darkness, but Link kept him in his sights. They were nearing the end of the royal suite and Link worried about the multiple different corridors that extended from there. If the intruder got too far ahead he might lose them and if he followed down the wrong corridor he'd have to waste time backtracking, time that the intruder would use to escape.

The invader burst out through the double doors, shocking one of the guards on night patrol.

"Stop him! Do not let him pass you!" Link called out.

The guard brought up his spear and readied to target the intruder but was left gaping. The figure had foreseen his action and jumped high in the air, he touched down on the wall and rebounded off with an aerial flip. Once he alighted again on firm ground he went on running, unhindered.

Link shot past the bemused guard. "Alert Brula! Quickly!"

He hadn't the time to make sure the guard did as ordered as he continued his pursuit.

The intruder made all sorts of sudden twists and turns, darting into the different corridors without any preamble as if he had memorized the layout of the castle. He bound past a number of guards who acted only as obstacles with what little good they were doing.

Suddenly the sheen of a sword flashed ahead. The figure ducked and rolled as Commander Deb exited from the corridor dressed only in loose breeches and a form-fitting sleeveless shirt. She looked as Link did, as if she'd just got out of bed. Her feet were bare and they pivoted swiftly as she swerved in to attack once more.

Now with two in on his tail the intruder seemed to run with more haste.

"Link, to the left!" Commander Deb shot at him.

Link nodded and veered down another corridor. He read through her plan. Deb intended to herd the intruder into a dead end. He twisted down another hall and another.

The intruder saw him and made a sharp turn to the right. It worked, they had him cornered. There was no place to go.

As always, it was never that simple…

The figure had known what they were doing the moment one pair of footsteps had faded off. He ran headlong towards the wall, elicited the same maneuver as before, leaping up and landing deftly against the upper reaches of the wall, he pushed off and somersaulted, cloak billowing out like the great wings of a bird. Link and Commander Deb could only watch as the figure soared over their heads and landed behind them, once again at a run.

"What was that!?" Deb called, shocked and no doubt formulating plans to incorporate that little stunt into her soldier's training regime – not that any of them would be able to perform that maneuver.

"He's heading downstairs!" said Link.

They soon reached the mezzanine, a landing that divided the two main floors of the castle. A group of soldiers stood at the base of the set of stairs, having been alerted to the presence of an intruder. Without pause the figure vaulted over their heads.

"What are you fools standing around for? After him!" the Commander yelled as she hurled over the balustrade and landed at a crouch. Link followed close behind, ignoring the guards. They would prove useless against this adversary. Already their armor weighed them down. He and the Commander had the best chance at catching him.

Link's heart pumped frantically as they flew straight through the presence chamber, hastily approaching the grand doors that acted as the main entry into the castle. And exit out of it. The doors were heavily bolted with guards protecting it from both sides.

Much to Link's misfortune, one of those doors was open, the guards speaking to someone standing in the doorway.

It proved easy for the figure to leap over their heads as they stared on startled.

"Dammit!" shot Deb.

Link shoved aside the guards and was hit with the crisp scent of the night air. He frantically searched his surroundings but he could see nothing. He saw no indication to where the intruder had gone. The grounds were extensive, he could be hidden anywhere.

He turned back to the guards standing in the doorway, clearly bemused, and Lord Foulkes who looked just as shocked.

"Did you see which way he went?"

Slowly they shook their heads no. Lord Foulkes cleared his throat, gripping tightly to his ornamental cane. "Has something come up? What is the meaning of all this?"

He appeared ruffled, and Link didn't blame him. He'd probably just returned from his excursion to the countryside and was tired and thusly thrown off when upon his return something like this happens.

Link gnashed his teeth and peered into the night, listening for the assassin.

"I want the grounds searched, everyone form a party and get to it. You! Tell the gatekeepers to keep alert, no one gets in or out, I also want the watch on the battlements doubled." Commander Deb shouted out orders and the guards obeyed at once.

"What's all this now?"

Brula appeared, walking slowly down the steps and taking in the ruckus.

Lord Foulkes shrugged, suppressing a yawn. "I have no idea. Mr. Link hasn't said a word of use to me."

Link had moved away and was now investigating the exterior of the castle in case the invader had decided to trick them by climbing on the roof.

"Find the assassin. See where he went," he whispered under his breath.

His shadow swelled.

_**I cannot.**_

Link frowned. "Why not?"

_**They have warped. I cannot follow.**_

Great. Just great. "And why didn't you stop him?"

_**There was no killing intent. I shall only take form when a life is in peril.**_

_How inconvenient. _He didn't say this out loud for fear of insulting his Sheikah watcher. The Sheikah might get back at him by relaying his conversation with Amy to Zellandus.

"Are you hurt, my Lord?" Brula addressed Lord Foulkes, who simply ran a hand through his tussled hair, having come lose from his silk thong.

"Yes yes, I'm quite alright," he said snappishly. It was as if his mood had suddenly soured considerably. "Now if you don't mind, I'm to bed. I've just returned from a long journey and am in dire need of some rest."

Brula nodded. "Sleep well then."

Lord Foulkes jerked his head stiffly and strode off, his cane tapping the stone with every other step. Commander Deb was still issuing orders and demanding reports every five minutes, which had the guards clearly flustered.

Link peered once more into the darkness then turned back to the castle. There was nothing he could do. There was no point in joining the search. The intruder was well gone.

"I think it best if you check on the prince," Commander Deb voiced in her pause between berating the guards. "You're his bodyguard. You never know if the assassin purposefully drew us away so he could go back and make another attempt at his highness' life."

Link doubted it, but acquiesced. He rushed back inside to make it seem as if he was worried when truly he was not. Zellandus had Carus to protect him, and this assassin seemed different than the others. For one, he went after Link instead of the prince, and second although he wore a dark cloak and mask, they were fashioned differently than the initial assassins who'd both wore black and Keaton masks. This one had a falcon mask and his cloak had been less coarse and more like silk, he thought, remembering its lustrous shine in the moonlight. Was he then a higher level than the others? He appeared more advanced, able to slip by them easily.

If only he'd been faster he could have caught the invader and gotten the truth directly from him, but for now he was left with more questions than he liked to ponder.

He hated not knowing things.

* * *

Zelda appeared in the foyer of Foulkes manor in a flash of light. She stumbled to one of the chairs and sat down on its lush cushion, tearing off her mask and holding her head in her hands.

That had been too close.

Two nights ago she had visited the castle in search of Link. It was him. It was really him! Not that she'd actually doubted it, but seeing him in person after so long had taken a toll on her mind and heart.

She had come to him in the dead of night as he lay sleeping and watched him, fighting against the urge to reach out and touch his face to confirm that she wasn't dreaming. That one night should have been the end of it, she'd already stayed for hours longer than she'd intended, but she couldn't help herself from visiting him the next night and the next. It was predictable that she'd eventually be caught. She hadn't seen that chaise standing there right by the window she used as entrance and had felt relief that Link had continued sleeping after the noise she'd made. But he'd been awakened and had smartly waited for the proper moment to strike.

She thanked the Goddesses for her inherent abilities, not to mention she'd been keeping practice with her Sheikah training. She had to be in top form to eventually face Ganondorf.

She was gladdened that not even the Sheikah recognized her, but they undoubtedly felt something towards her. She should not have risked remaining in their presence for so long. For all she knew they'd break free of her spell on their own, and then there'd be hell to pay.

She shot up from her seat and marched upstairs to the study. She was vaguely surprised that Jeffrey wasn't there attending to her, but the hour was late and even he needed to sleep sometime.

Zelda broke open Dasril's cabinet and poured herself a generous glass of wine to help calm her nerves. She wasn't by any means a heavy drinker but there were times when the situation called for it. She wouldn't douse herself in the liquid, but just this once she drank a glass more than she was used to.

She nestled down on the settee and with a snap of her fingers the hearth came to life, roaring in front of her, a comforting presence.

What was worse was that she'd have to go back to Castle Town. She'd left the money from her withdrawal locked up in a chest in the room she was renting at the inn. She'd be cutting it close, but if she left at dawn she'd make it on time for the exchange. She didn't want to think about Queen Helerra retracting her offer simply because she delivered the money late.

She mused, her thoughts drifting towards Link. He was handsome as always, his features well defined. She knew so little about him in this life, she'd have to procure some information eventually. She had no doubt that he remembered his previous lifetimes, why else would he have been drawn to the castle? But she sincerely hoped that her spell extended to him as well, that he'd forgotten her like the rest of them.

"Oh, Link…" she sighed despondently, covering her face with her hand.

As much as it hurt she knew he would be happier without knowing her.

It was for the best.

* * *

**A/N: Psyche! That was a close one wasn't it. There were mixed opinions on whether Zelda should reveal herself to Link or not, so naturally, I compromised. Zelda reveals herself to Link (accidently), but not her identity, sorry for those who wanted that.**

**I don't think this chapter quite tops the previous one, but I'm fine with it. I think I do better with the enemy's point of view, they're just more fun to write.**

**Hope I didn't disappoint you guys too badly. Thanks for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: A bit late, but here it is. Sorry for my tardiness. Along with exams I've had the death of my aunt to cope with. She passed away early Easter morning.**

**Thanks to my lovely reviewers: allyssagrace16, EllaSwanson, ObscurityProject, Arc. en. ciel, PrincessPeach, Bloodspire, Turmoiler, eclair. belmont, and Generala! **

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Link wore a black leather plate and guards on his shoulders, forearms, and calves. Not his favorite color, but he had to admit it went well with his white collared shirt and trousers, gold thread lining the hems in intricate swirls. His most favorite feature, one that suited his tastes, was his cape. Meant for decoration, it was a heavy deep forest green fabric with a clasp at the front that unlatched with a small twist so it would be easy to quickly discard if something did come up and he was required to fight. He hoped sincerely that it did not come to that.

He considered his image in the mirror, his vivid blue eyes more cheerful than they'd been in a while. Perhaps it was because he was reminded of the last big party he'd attended with his fellow villagers. It had been both brilliant and awful. Everything before that dance with Adra on the bridge had been enjoyable, but afterwards… He clenched his teeth at the reminder of his suffering. The pain of remembering, both physical and emotional, had been all too unbearable, but he'd rather go through that for every rebirth than to remember nothing at all.

He sighed, his hands balling into tight fists then relaxing. He raised one hand and placed it flat against the wall next to the mirror.

He closed his eyes and imagined her pale heart-shaped face, so soft and beautiful. Why couldn't he be rid of that yearning in his heart? Wasn't she with him now in Zellandus? Was it because she had changed so drastically that she seemed a different person altogether?

He had tried to keep Zelda and Zellandus apart in his mind, but it was difficult. Subconsciously he was not ready to discard that idea because if he did… then that meant that Zelda did not actually exist in this lifetime.

Only time would tell if it was truly her…

A knock sounded at the door.

"Yes?" he called hoarsely then cleared his throat and looked up.

"Mr. Link, do you need assistance getting ready for the festival?" said the attendant that had been assigned to him. A man name Haines, if he recalled correctly.

"No thank you. I am almost finished." He removed his hand from the wall and brushed himself down, taking a moment to flatten his fringe.

"Well, if there is anything at all you require..."

Link rolled his eyes in annoyance. "No there is not."

Haines paused at Link's short tone then answered hesitantly. "Very well then."

He listened as footsteps led the attendant away. He could have been a mite bit more pleasant, he thought in retrospect, but he'd reversed into his old habits unknowingly. When he'd been King it had been both aggravating and useful to have people waiting on his every need. He'd been difficult to deal with and had probably been the major cause of stress for more than one unlucky soul in the castle – more possibly the entire staff, plus the guards.

But Link was largely independent and didn't like others intruding for the most trivial things. He simply didn't need all the activity in his life on top of court dealings.

Link fixed his cuffs and pulled on a black pair of leather gloves. He combed once through his hair and fitted his sword at his waist.

Passing one last glance to confirm he looked presentable, he left the room.

He made his way smoothly down to the presence chamber where Zellandus along with many others were grouped and chatting idly. Zellandus was surrounded by a small retinue of guards, more for show than necessity. Still it offered a small comfort to Link knowing that many people were looking after his highness' welfare.

At his appearance, Zellandus quickly waved him over. Zellandus was too busy being fussed over to properly say anything to Link. Brula stood before him, face crinkled in a frown, her wrinkles more pronounced than they'd ever been, her walking cane poised threateningly on the floor as she murmured to Zellandus silently.

"-you were taught etiquette for a reason. You have manners so use them. It's bad enough that you've tarnished your image before the nobility, you don't need to sully it further in front of the rest of the kingdom. The peasantry makes up the majority of Hyrule, above all give them a good impression of yourself and earn their support."

Zellandus gazed at Link and it was the most pitiful he'd ever seen on the prince. Link merely shrugged and gave a small smile. That was the Sheikah for you. Even talking softly they could render one to tears.

An announcer called out. "Everybody line up for procession."

The procession went as follows: a retinue of guards would lead on the exit from the castle, followed by the royal council, after which came prince Zellandus himself, flanked closely by Link and Commander Deb who'd stay back to keep close to him, Brula will have taken Deb's place among the council members. After the prince came the foreign dignitaries and important persons then came the remainder of those nobles who'd opted to join in the festivities.

It was all very ceremonial and elaborate, Lord Kincaid having planned the entire thing to make it look as impressive as manageable. After all, presentation was what matters most. With this show of order it might allay any existing rumors that the prince was in fact an incurable slob. Now if only Zellandus was able to display that charm that had been ingrained in him to his people then he'd win their vote of confidence at once.

Link took his position as Lord Kincaid was yelling himself coarse at a bunch of nobles who seemed to think they deserved to head the procession. They were soon led back to their spots by some of the soldiers, snorting in indignation all the while, their snobby noses jutted in the air.

At last the Lord deemed them ready to go.

Link saw Zellandus' shoulders slump as the first guards marched out on to the bailey.

"He has to give a speech. He doesn't very much care for those," said Commander Deb, exuding the utmost seriousness now that they were moving. She'd been constantly alert since the episode the other night with the assassin. Two attempts within a fortnight of each other did not bode well.

She'd taken to patrolling the royal wing herself after dark, which accounted for her less than pleasant mood currently. With Brula's extra ward of protection on Zellandus' quarters, Link opting to sleep in the antechamber and Carus ever in his shadow, Zellandus was the most protected he'd ever be.

Link recalled the assassin and his face molded into a frown. He'd been so close to catching him, and at the last moment he'd escaped. If only there was some sort of tool that would have allowed him to run faster, or if only he'd brought his item pouch with him he could have shot a deku nut at him with his slingshot or used his boomerang to daze him.

Next time he'd be prepared. If they could catch just one of those assassins and take precautions so that they didn't die all of a sudden like the first two – whom he suspected may have had poison pills stowed away in their mouths – he could glean some information on Ganondorf. Who else could have sent them but Ganondorf. It seemed more intended to taunt than anything. Ganondorf was probably just trying to raise their hackles.

Slowly the great doors that barred the entrance to the castle grounds opened and his eyes were seemingly assaulted with color. Cheers rose from the massive crowd that awaited them at the sight of Zellandus. A podium had been erected which oversaw the entire square. People were pushing against each other as they massed as close to the podium as they were allowed, a group of guards formed a semi circle barring their approach. Others – mostly children and teenagers - had gathered on the rooftops in order to see better, practically the entire town had come out to celebrate. Link was moderately surprised that the square could hold so many people and still have some space leftover. It had been built big for a reason.

He followed Zellandus up onto the podium and stood back as Zellandus took his place at the front.

Zellandus spent a moment to look over his people then opened his mouth and began his speech. "My dear citizens of Hyrule…"

Link blinked in mild surprise as the first thing that came out was not some bland remark that could be taken as an insult. Rather, Zellandus was anything but bland, he was… almost humble with the way he presented himself. Link listened with increasing awe as Zellandus spoke fondly of the past King and elicited more than a few tears and sad groans from his people, a few called out shouts of sympathy and Zellandus acknowledged them with his head bowed and a raise of his hand.

From the corner of his eye he saw Brula watching Zellandus with a stern eye.

Ah, so it was she who had written the speech for him. They'd most likely gone over it numerous times until it was drilled to memory. He wouldn't doubt it if Brula had also sought to drill in some of his actions and the appropriate level of emotion for the proper segments. Goddess knows Zellandus had difficulties exuding anything but boredom at social functions. Link had to admit, he was a decent actor.

Zellandus then went on about fair Hyrule, its land and its people and all that was great about it – a fairly long list, perhaps exaggeratedly long as he noticed Brula's hand upon her cane twitching a fair bit. Some of the foreign dignitaries were also shifting a bit impatiently at this point. The people however were practically in awe of him.

Link smiled subtly. Zellandus did not appear the least bit nervous, neither did he stutter or trail off in forgetfulness as some tended to do. Why ever did he not like speeches was beyond Link. His people were already well won over.

His oration reminded him of Zelda, who actually adored speaking directly to the populace. They used the same modicum level of enthusiasm – although Zellandus was a bit more dramatic – and both locked away any inner emotion that could interfere with how they presented themselves. Even in the direst of times Zelda had stood tall and firm and it was only he who was witness to her incertitude behind closed doors and without her knowledge. Even while in his presence she'd shut herself to an extent. He understood what it meant to be a strong leader, but she hadn't even allowed herself to express her true emotions when in solitude.

As Zellandus spoke with increasing reverence as he mentioned the great Goddesses of Hyrule – they had to interplay somewhere in his speech after all – Link determined to do his job and surveyed the crowd. He'd scoured the area the other day for places where assassins could hide or for archers to dwell. His eyes immediately searched out those niches but he was unable to detect even the glint of an arrowhead.

He felt his Sheikah alert within his shadow. He couldn't sense the other Sheikah who were wandering around the square as his shadow could, but a few times he thought he saw minute flickering of the light in some places. If they sensed any ill intent they'd report back at once, of that he was certain. But he couldn't rely solely on those Sheikah, as formidable as they were they could miss something just as easily as a normal Hylian.

His eyes briefly breezed over a few heads and then darted back as he spotted something familiar. He froze.

Suddenly he felt the immense urge to shift nervously but resolutely tamped that down. He quickly finished his scanning then swept his eyes back to Adra and Vrel who were among the crowd and appeared to be whispering heatedly to each other. They had undoubtedly seen him, and he was more than likely the subject of their fervent discussion. Vrel would no doubt find the predicament humorous, while Adra would be stunned beyond belief, possibly confused, and most definitely peeved.

Link beseeched the Goddesses as their eyes connected with his and he gave them both a teasing smirk. As predicted, Vrel's eyes widened before they crinkled in muffled laughter, while Adra looked to be fuming and returned to speaking harshly to Vrel and eliciting more than a few annoyed glances from the nearby men and women. Luckily their conversation blended with the combined noise of a shifting crowd and other murmurings going on as people commented to each other. They heard none of it at the podium, Zellandus' voice rose above everything else, projected well throughout the square.

Zellandus' segmentation and pitch indicated that he was nearing the end of his speech. At the last words uttered there was silence then all round applause. As bothersome as he was, the people loved him. Link thought that if they were a nation who elected their leaders, Zellandus would win for sure – probably with over ninety percent of the votes too.

"Glad that's over with," Zellandus murmured in a normal tone, and Deb sighed at his flippant attitude.

Zellandus walked to the edge of the podium and jumped off, performing a flip midair in his descent. As he landed the applause heightened to an ear-shattering volume.

It was enough to burst his eardrums.

Link and the others opted to take the stairs down. Wouldn't want to ruin Zellandus' show.

Now came the irksome part, interacting with everybody. Many people headed directly to Zellandus in order to meet their prince up front and to congratulate him on a speech well done and what have you. The majority however went off to enjoy the festivities. Music started in the background and enhanced the lively atmosphere. Link's eye was caught by a group of youths about his age wearing uniforms with gold and blue insignias denoting them as academy students. A stage was set up and some of the students were practicing their magic as they prepared to perform.

Link drifted to Zellandus' side. He kept a look out for Vrel and Adra and was for once relatively thankful for his short stature as it hid him amongst the many tall heads. It was too bad that Zellandus rose over many of those heads and stuck out like a golden beacon.

It wasn't too hard for Vrel and Adra to locate him and navigate their way over.

Zellandus pretended to be cheerful as he was swarmed by a group of men and women. A designation of four guards were assigned to him at all times and hovered nearby, eyeing the citizens cautiously, while Link and Deb stood closer.

"Pardon, Link," Zellandus nudged him in a break in his conversation with an aging Hylian. She rambled on ignorant of his lack of interest. "But are you well acquainted with those two coming directly towards us? I dare say that woman seems to be in a rage about something. Hate to get on her bad side, eh? Some poor fool's in for a beating."

How eloquently he put it. Some poor fool! And Link was that fool.

He caught Adra's eye and tensed his shoulders.

Uh oh, looks like she was really mad.

Perhaps he should have thought about the effect of his actions in the long run. He should have considered what Adra and Vrel would think when he'd first agreed to be Zellandus' bodyguard, but as usual he'd gone with the flow. What could he say? He was a free spirit who acted impulsively more often than not. Retrospection was not exactly his forte. If they wanted someone who calculated every single minute little move then they should have befriended Lord Kincaid. He practically went mad when things did not go as planned, everything had to be clearly organized. Even now he was migrating around the square looking down his long pointed nose as he oversaw the events making sure everything was in order.

"They're from my village," said Link to the prince, who nodded sagely.

"A spurned lover? Best to get it over with. Better now than later when she's had more time to stew. Trust me, some closure would do you both good."

Link frowned. "We don't need closure," he said flashing a quick look at both his friends. "Just a bit of explaining."

A firm hand pat his shoulder in sympathy. "Right," said Zellandus. "That's another way to put it. Goddess awful timing she has. Where you're going to find any privacy for your little spat in this hubbub is beyond me."

"Neither Link nor I shall be leaving your side, your highness," said Commander Deb. Her brows pinched downward as she turned to Link. "I suggest you get this over with quickly. We can't afford any distractions now."

In other words, 'if you don't have your full mind on the job you'll be nothing but a burden'. But he couldn't just get rid of them. They were tied too firmly into his life to so easily push away.

Adra practically stormed her way over to them and by her face 'in a rage' seemed to be putting it lightly. She was near eruption.

Link mentally fortified himself. This wouldn't be good.

"LINK!" she jabbed her fist in his stomach. If it weren't for the leather protection he'd probably have really felt that. From the looks of it she used her knuckles to dig in. She must have been bordering on murderous.

He swore her fierce intent gave her the eyes of a Sheikah.

"Why're you here? Where've you been? And-" she stopped, eyeing the prince who did the perfect enactment of an uninvolved bystander, only half-listening to the group of men who'd come to talk to him. "And what did you do?!"

It was that last question that got him. As if he'd done something illegal, horrific, as if that would be the only reason for him ending up where he was. Nothing else could have placed him in position of royal bodyguard except for some accident instigated by some foolhardy action on his part.

_Well_, he thought crisply.

"Well…" Link trailed.

Goddesses, was that all he could manage?

"You disappeared for two weeks! _Two weeks_! We didn't know where you'd gone, what happened to you, if you'd been mugged and left for dead, if you'd gone home, and whatever else!" she shrieked.

Link winced. They were attracting stares.

"Listen, Adra," he started, trying to quiet her down.

"Not looking too shabby, Link," said Vrel suddenly, eyeing him up and down and admiring the quality of his outfit.

He hadn't even noticed Vrel's approach, Adra having taken up the entirety of his vision, so overwhelming was she when she was mad.

"What have you been doing?" asked Vrel, an expression of interest on his face.

Link smiled weakly. "You remember how we were talking about temporary jobs?"

His words settled on them and Vrel grinned. "You must have had some good references. What are you supposed to be anyways?"

He tipped his head towards Zellandus. "His majesties personal guard."

As if just realizing that no more than a few paces separated her from royalty, Adra's eyes bulged as she let out a small 'eep' and covered her mouth. She stared at Zellandus as if totally frozen.

Link sighed.

Vrel gave him a curious look. "There's no way you're not explaining this one."

Releasing another sigh – great Farore he was starting to sound like Zellandus – Link supplied a small summary of the basics of what led up to this point, omitting a large portion of the details, adding a few plausible fibs and encoding the whole thing in vagueness.

Nevertheless, Vrel and Adra bought it.

"So you happened to meet his highness at the temple of the Goddesses and he recognized you because your father used to work as a soldier and from there he had you tested and then assigned you as his bodyguard?" said Vrel in confirmation.

Hah, no.

Link nodded. "That's the gist of it."

It was true that his parents had once again unsurprisingly been absent from his life and he'd appeared in Heron Falls apparently haven fallen down the great falls themselves at age five, with no known origin or information other than his name to identify himself with. For all he knew his father could have been a soldier. In any of his lives he'd always had to go through the laborious process of much guesswork and searching to find his true genealogy, and rarely did they ever discover any connections. It wasn't worth the effort.

He'd resigned himself to accepting that he just didn't have a family, ever.

At least this helped support Zellandus' claim that they knew each other previously. People would automatically infer that they'd been childhood friends.

"Oh Link, you've found out who your parents are. I'm so happy for you," gushed Adra, forgetting all about any previously standing anger, she pulled him into a tight hug where Link could barely see over the white-blond locks of her hair.

He rolled his eyes and patted her lightly on the back. "Yeah, I did."

Another lie. Zelda would be frowning at him in disapproval by now. His eyes strayed to Zellandus who was engaged in a conversation with another bunch of citizens all wishing him luck and wellness. By the way his pointed ears were twitching Link could assume he'd been paying most of his attention to Link's conversation, hopefully taking in all the lies so that he'd be able to support his false claims.

Deb seemed to also have been listening in casually. Link was not sure how this would affect her impression of him, and she gave no indication to her thoughts by her features, which were set in a smooth expression, serene but vigilant.

"You were that impressive huh? To be chosen as the prince's own bodyguard," said Vrel, a bit stoically.

Link pulled away from Adra. "Apparently so. Now, what have you two been doing other than running yourselves crazy trying to locate me?"

At this Vrel smiled. "Please, we worried for about a minute or two then shrugged it off. We knew you'd be fine wherever you were."

Link laughed at the light jest, but from the Vrel's mannerism it seemed they'd been very worried.

"I've gotten a job as the aid of a chemist. His workshop is near the Keaton's Den. You should see, he has all sorts of different plants and fungi that I've only read about. He also has small metal flakes, and solutions. I've been helping him make potions and running errands. Adra's been helping with Odol, the innkeeper," Vrel bumped his shoulder. "Nothing as interesting than what you've been doing. It's obvious who's the major breadwinner in our group."

"You must be paid a fortune to afford that," said Adra, observing his outfit.

Link opened his mouth to reply then paused. Slowly he twisted his head to look at Zellandus who was conveniently deep in conversation and who'd covertly moved a few steps away.

"Ah, these clothes his highness had personally requested for me as a gift. My actual _pay_ comes later in the week," replied Link smoothly.

That was something that he hadn't thought about. It seemed that Zellandus had neglected to discuss the issue about his wage. And Link himself had been too preoccupied to care at the time. How _thoughtless_ of him.

He'd be sure to bring it up the next time he and the prince had a chat.

He sensed more than heard the rumbling of amusement from his shadow. Now he understood why Zellandus felt the incessant need to stomp on his shadow every once in a while. It would do no good, but at least it gave the illusion of doing some harm to the Sheikah.

His sleeve was grabbed as Adra latched onto him but had her head turned another direction. "Can we…umm… can we meet the prince?" she asked hesitantly.

Link smiled rather wickedly. Maybe he'd unnerve Zellandus for a bit. The prince would only become more wary at Link's behavior now that Link was reminded that he should be paid.

"I'm certain he'd love to meet you," he said boisterously, steering Adra and Vrel over to the prince.

"Your highness," Link interrupted the peasant who was currently talking. Zellandus methodically turned around and plastered a beaming smile on his face, although Link could tell he was jittery.

"Link, my faithful devout congenial retainer. What is it that you require?" said Zellandus.

_Congenial heh? Only in public…_

To the prince he smiled brightly. "What I require comes later," he said with firm meaning behind his tone. "I'd like you to meet my friends, Vrel and Adra."

The prince looked over them and gave the appropriate slight nod as they bowed at the waist. "What quaint names. Tell me, are you enjoying yourselves?"

Adra rose and beamed at him, her excitement shone in her tone of voice. "Yes, of course!"

Vrel nodded in reply. "I've never been to such a huge party."

"Have you had the chance to enjoy any of the games yet?"

Her dress swaying as she shifted, Adra shook her head. "Not yet, your highness. Although I have been eyeing the archery game. I've tried it before but I've yet to succeed in hitting all targets."

At this Zellandus' eyes twinkled. "Really? I've been meaning to give it a go myself. Perhaps I could help you with your archery?"

If they'd been in Heron Falls amongst family and friends, Adra would have squealed her joy. Since they were currently surrounded by a massive gathering of strangers, and in the presence of the prince, she settled for an elated smile. "That would be wonderful, your highness!"

"Then shall we?" Zellandus offered her his arm and she near fainted as she eagerly took it.

The prince headed towards the same archery stand that had been displayed outdoors upon their first arrival to Castle Town. Zellandus peeked over his shoulder, saw Link, and tensed before facing forward.

It was somewhat amusing to see the prince acting as if he were in trouble.

Commander Deb shook her head despairingly. "That boy. Latches on to any and all opportunities that enable him to show off. If only he showed that much passion in council meetings."

Vrel shrugged as he walked beside Link. "Well, at least Adra's happy."

Link nodded absently.

They passed a group of children playing a game of bombshu bowling, and Amy with Nadine, James and Wist, watching the academy student's magic performance. Nadine and Wist had their eyes glued to it raptly and cheered after each stunning feat. Amy clapped politely while James looked fully unimpressed. He caught Link's eye as he walked past and sent him a sinister grin.

Link tipped his head and revealed a smirk of his own, and looked forward. "Vrel, I know I've been negligent in my friendship with you these past few weeks," even before they'd arrived at Castle Town he'd felt some space between them. "Perhaps later we could grab a drink at the inn."

Vrel groaned. "You could have at least sent word to us, you know. Adra was out of her mind with worry for you."

Link mentally flinched, feeling guilt. "To be honest I didn't quite know how. I hadn't really had the time either."

The taller boy raised an eyebrow. "You don't know how to send out a courier?"

"Next time I'll ask around," replied Link shortly.

There was silence between them. Link noticed that Deb had pulled ahead to walk next to the prince, fulfilling her duty as his protector and to give Link and Vrel a bit of privacy.

He glanced around, once more checking his surroundings. No matter that he was with his friends now, he still had a job to do.

He noticed some of the nobles and dignitaries standing off in their own little groups snobbishly, but most others flitted around and interacted joyfully with the peasants. Some even roamed around in the company of their personal servants who'd been given the day off. With no barriers between they acted as friends rather than employer and employee.

It was good that they had a chance to celebrate the upcoming blessing ceremony. The day of the ceremony itself was to be one of silent reverence. No partying would be happening, no joyful singing or dancing, no fun and games, it was to be a day of fasting and prayer. And this was not just for the prince, all of the citizens participated as well.

It was an exciting time for the Hylians as much as it was a solemn one. With the blessing of the Goddesses their new King would officially be declared.

He knew the routine well. It wouldn't be the same as any other time he'd experienced this. If only…

"Link, I'm glad with all that you've accomplished," said Vrel, his tone quiet.

Link inspected him, startled. He smiled wryly, thinking Vrel wanted to keep things smooth between them as much as Link did. It was not worth their friendship over.

"I thank you, Vrel. I hope things go well with you as an aid," he said.

For the next half hour they spent the time watching Zellandus practically claim the archery stand, educating Adra on all the things she didn't already know. As good as she was with the bow and arrow, she'd not had the refined tutelage that Zellandus had grown up with, so did not know all the little tricks and took his advice as gold.

Later on the music became livelier and many people began to dance. Zellandus was hasty to pull Adra into a quick swing, and Vrel soon followed as he asked a pretty face to oblige him. Only the guards, Deb and Link were left to watch on the sidelines, all refusing to join in.

Link felt highly attuned to his shadow and tensed at every flicker, just waiting for an alert to sound. So far nothing had occurred.

* * *

Dasril closed the door to the inn and effectively shutting out a good portion of the noise outside.

He looked around.

A great chandelier hung from the ceiling, posh carpets covered the floor and paintings of various heroic figures hung on the walls. Seeing as how it was one of the few inns bordering the town square and relatively close to the castle it was appropriately suited to those of the upper class, the only ones able to afford the price and location.

A bored looking boy dozed at the counter, head cradled on his open palm. Dasril marched over and rang the bell.

The boy jerked awake with a cry and looked around dazedly before his eyes settled on Dasril's imposing figure. He jumped to attention and straightened his tunic.

"Welcome sir to the Goddess Plume inn. We-"

"I do not care for your chatter," snapped Dasril, leaning forward. "Tell me, is there anyone under the name of Midraga in residence?"

The boy cleared his throat then recited. "Our patrons have the right to anonymity. We respect the privacy of our patrons and will not hand over any information to any-"

Dasril clenched his teeth. "Do not be difficult. It is a simple question I ask. Tell me if a woman registered as S. Midraga is here."

The boy gulped audibly. "I'm sorry, sir, I'm not authorized to divulge that information."

He banged his fist on the table in annoyance, making the boy jump in fright. "Where is your employer? Clearly you are having difficulties understanding my inquiry. Someone of greater intellect is needed obviously."

"Ross! What are you doing? How dare you insult our distinguished guest!"

A thin rat-faced man came through the door from the back room. His eyes raked quickly over Dasril's severe appearance and overall look of wealth and Dasril literary thought he saw rupees flash in the man's eyes. Quickly he came over pushing the boy aside behind the counter.

"Please excuse him. He's knew and doesn't quite know how to treat people of greater importance than he," said the man, sending a scathing look over at the boy who notably flinched back. He then beamed at Dasril. "How am I to serve my Lord today?"

Dasril wrinkled his nose at the obvious simpering and scoffed. "You may start by answering my question in a straightforward manner."

The innkeeper waved and nodded empathically. "Ask away, ask away."

"Is there anyone currently residing here under the name S. Midraga?"

"S. Midraga? I shall search right away," the innkeeper said, moving over to a shelf and dragging out a massive book. He spread it out over the counter and flipped over half the pages, he then swept through them until he arrived at a more recent date and followed his finger as he sifted through each entry.

Dasril leaned his arm on the counter, tapping his fingers impatiently. He narrowed his gaze on the boy, who shrank back, then turned his sights back to the rat-faced man. Human, he presumed by those round stubby ears.

"Aha! Listed as you said, S. Midraga, room 3a. Rented the room about a week ago. Usually I'd reserve them for visiting people of importance, but I remember this one had a certain way about her, and spoke with a pretty little lilt to her language."

He didn't want to guess whether that language was her usual noble accent or if he meant that in terms of money.

Without another word Dasril started out the reception area and located the stairs proceeding up them quickly. He easily found the room on the third floor and only propriety stopped him from barging in.

He forced the rapid pace of his heart, accelerated from the exertion, to calm and breathed in deeply. He tapped thrice on the door and awaited an answer.

After a short moment the door peeked open and once she verified who he was she swung it wide to allow him entrance. He strode in and closed it behind him, as Zelda pulled off her hood.

He tugged off his gloves and tossed them on the vanity.

"Really," he said, smirking. "Midraga? Still going by that old name?"

Zelda sniffed. "He was my first horse. It makes it easier to remember and stay consistent."

She moved back to her chair at the window and carefully slid apart the curtains, opening a slit in order to peek out. Dasril walked across the room and stood above her as she continued watching as if unaware that he was there, a mere few inches away from her.

"How did you find me?"

Dasril tilted his head. "I figured you'd want to watch the people make a mockery of themselves. Festivals are for fools and lazy persons. An excuse to avoid work and labor. There were only a few places that provided the best views and also that could easily hide you from the world."

Zelda smiled, neither disagreeing with his statement nor agreeing with it. "Deductive reasoning at its best."

"Quite," said Dasril.

Zelda appeared enraptured by what was taking place below. Dasril grew annoyed. Even when she'd been the feather-brained princess, she had never let her mind wander so much.

He nudged the curtain aside, opening a wider gap from which to see out of. Languidly his sharp brown eyes scanned over the people below, taking everything in with one sweep. A bunch of them were dancing happily, but Zelda's eyes were not trained on that. He followed her gaze to see what had her so mesmerized, then he saw it.

It was that man, Link. He stood beside Commander Shira, watching the dancers, or more specifically, the prince who was dancing among them. He admired Link's integrity and his adherence to duty, but when he really thought about it he found Link lacking. Nevertheless, Zelda's focus was riveted.

Dasril forced back a scowl as he yanked the curtains shut.

She looked at him with an annoyed frown. "Dasril."

"If you so enjoy watching, why do you not go down and partake in the festivities yourself. I do not think you desire to live vicariously for the rest of your life," he said scornfully.

Zelda pushed back a loose strand of hair behind a pointed ear. "I cannot, you know I cannot. It is not worth the risk. As long as I do not exist in this world I am safe to…"

Safe to what? Dasril's eyebrows furrowed. What was so important that she had to erase her existence? What was she searching for?

He didn't ask her straight out because he knew what her reaction to that would be. Instead he surprised her by grasping her gloved hand and pulling her up.

She stood on her feet curiously watching him.

He tugged at the hem of her glove, suddenly wanting to feel her skin on his. She started to pull back.

"Don't…"

He acquiesced and contented himself with simply holding her clothed hand in his own. He enlaced their fingers and she briefly flashed her eyes down at their intertwined hands and back up, brow raised in humorous inquiry.

"You do exist, Zelda," he said lowly, and squeezed her hand to emphasize his point. "To me, you do exist."

She peered at him sadly. "To you and to you only. But it is not a full existence. No other knows who I truly am. I acknowledged the results of my actions long before I carried them out. I am fine with this."

He didn't think so. He caught her forlorn gaze and pulled her closer, his other hand brushing against the small of her back. He would show her. "Dance with me."

From within the room the volume of the music was muffled giving it a softer tone perfect to move slowly with. In some way he'd make sure she was able to enjoy the festival herself.

She hesitated for a moment then smiled faintly, accepting. Smoothly they matched the steps of a serene slow dance, Dasril steering her carefully away from obstructive furniture.

So small was she, compared to his height. So delicate in his arms.

He'd been anxious ever since her close escape from the castle a few nights prior. He chuckled amusedly as he remembered. He'd been taken by surprise as she'd flown completely over his head. How she managed that he was clueless, but he suspected some form of magic, or rather some brilliant acrobatic move since he hadn't sensed any magic at work from her. That could be plausible, he'd seen her train a few times, some form of fighting that expressed agility, speed, and strength all in one.

He looked down at her and caught her eyes closing tiredly, but still they danced.

He thought about Link, that it had been he who had almost caught her that night. That everything she worked for could have been exposed by one nuisance of a man. Or worse, she may have been thrown directly in prison for their idiotic assumption that she was an assassin.

He was not entirely sure why she had been at the castle that night, but he suspected it had something to do with Link.

He held Zelda closely and she leaned into him, allowing the music to carry her feet. He swayed them gently.

The man may be more of an interference than he'd thought. Perhaps it was time to do away with him.

* * *

Vrel felt weird as he stumbled away from the dancing, kissing his partner on the cheek before she was giddily swept away by some other man who wanted his turn. He wasn't happy, but neither was he upset, he was somewhere far off and couldn't quite distinguish what he felt.

He sat at a bench to still the dizzying sensation in his head. All that twirling made him a bit giddy. He wished he could have brought Marle to this. She'd have loved the entire thing, and possibly would do her best to dance every song.

It had been a little over two weeks and he sort of missed her. He was beginning to miss much of Heron Falls the longer he stayed away. City life was too big for him, it was too loud and crammed, he didn't think he'd like to live here at all. He was waiting for the time when they'd move on with their journey, he still wanted to see the Gorons and Kakariko village. Adra did too, but she was not as anxious as him to leave, content to stay as long as she pleased in Castle Town. Not to mention they'd both been worried about Link so had had little time to actually fully enjoy Castle Town. But it seemed he'd been doing alright.

It was shocking, seeing Link in those clothes, seeing him standing up on that podium behind the prince, that had been just… just wow. He understood why Link had done it. If he'd been offered a position like that he would have jumped at the chance. But how in all of Hyrule did he become _that_ good with the sword? It didn't make sense. Adra had been classified as an expert with the bow in Heron Falls, yet even her skill level didn't compare to the people at Castle Town, the true masters, as Vivienne had pointed out. Shouldn't it be the same for Link? He was good at the sword, possibly better than the swordmistress Valera, but how could he compare with the people here? Was there some difference between him and Adra that he hadn't figured out?

He'd been practicing with the sword just as long as Link, if not longer, but then how come he wasn't as good? Did it have something to do with natural talent? In which case, logically he should be better, he was larger and tougher, was a sharp thinker, while Link was lithe and small. It just didn't add up.

He looked over at Link who was watching the prince, all seriousness, none of that boyish playfulness that he remembered from before. There was something that had changed in Link, ever since around his birthday celebration, something had happened that had shaped him up into someone more knowledgeable, someone more in control. Vrel didn't know if he liked this new Link or not, but he was willing to see what would happen. Maybe when they went out for drinks later he'd be able to question him.

"Well, I hadn't expected to run into your handsome figure again so soon."

Vrel jerked up at that familiar sultry voice that he'd committed to memory and caught the vibrant gaze of Vivienne Dalousi. His mouth gaped as he stared at her. From her vivid red locks falling in loose curls from her head, to the tight pale blue dress she wore, the bodice hugging her trim waist and bust so that certain parts of her were emphasized, she looked stunning. A neck scarf of the same color was tied delicately around her neck, half concealed by her tumbling curls.

She smiled at him as if nothing else in the world would have pleased her more at that moment.

She sat down next to him and Vrel felt his voice caught in his throat.

"Don't you look dapper today. Are you on a break, hon? You don't mind if I join you do you?"

He shook his head no.

Her smile broadened. "Good."

He fought for control over himself, but it was a losing battle. Not even Marle had ever made him this jittery. It was so nerve wracking he didn't know what to say or what to do.

Luckily, Vivienne proved herself to be an assertive woman as she easily took the reigns of the conversation.

"Are you having a good time? Be sure to have loads of fun. It's not every year that a new monarch assumes the throne. You might only experience a party like this once more in your life and by then you'll be too old to properly take part in it."

"Are _you_ enjoying yourself?" was the only thing Vrel thought to say. He flushed as he was just reiterating her words back at her. But for the life of him he was having trouble thinking for himself.

His heart rate quickened as Vivienne gazed at him sidelong. "I'm pleased that you asked. Yes, I am. But I would derive even more enjoyment if you were to take me to dance."

At her words, Vrel leapt to his feet and valiantly offered her his hand. She smiled and grasped it and Vrel easily pulled her to her feet noting that the heels she was wearing gave her a bit of extra height, but he still loomed over her. His stomach fluttering he pulled her onto the center of the square where the people milled about to dance.

"I'm not to good…" he said as he gingerly placed his hands where they were supposed to go, vividly aware of the sudden reddening of his face and ears.

Vivienne laughed. "Nonsense, hon. I saw you with those other girls and you were remarkable."

Confidence boosted, he took the first steps of an intimate slow dance. He hoped desperately that she couldn't feel him trembling. He was half elated and scared out of his wits to be dancing with her.

She patted his forearm. "Relax. Let the music soothe you, enjoy it."

It was her voice that was more soothing to him and he let it flow over him freely, immersing himself in her tranquil drawl.

"There you have it."

They danced through the song not saying another word to each other. He hardly realized when that song ended and the next began. It was as if he were in a dream. Her voice prompted him to wakefulness.

"Tell me about yourself?" she asked smoothly, her eyes darkening with the heavy atmosphere.

Vrel licked his lips. "What do you want to know?"

"About your life, your important people, friends, family, about you."

This was an exchange conversation. If he spoke about himself she'd be obligated to reveal contents of her life as well. That to him would prove much more interesting.

"I live in Heron Falls with my parents and five younger siblings, two girls and three boys. We own the local apothecary," he paused here, suddenly embarrassed at his humble origins. He remembered Vivienne giving Adra that ring, and that she must have been a noble or a very wealthy women to have done that. How could he compare with that?

"Go on," she urged lightly, and Vrel swallowed.

"Er…ah, my friends are Marle and Adra, but mainly Leaf and Link…" There, he'd answered all her questions - awkwardly at that. What to say next?

"Link, is he the one over there?"

Vrel looked over and nodded. "Yes, that's him."

"He looks rather boorish. Doesn't know the meaning of fun, does he?"

He laughed and grinned easily. "Sometimes he can be that way. But generally he is more lively than the rest of us. He's just out of sorts at the moment, is all."

Vivienne nodded, her eyes sparkling in the fading evening light. "Hmmm, but he is talented. Why else would the prince have chosen him as a bodyguard. There must be no other person who proves to be his equal. Doesn't he look dashing the way he stands so seriously keeping watch over his prince? I wager any girl would leapt at that bit of scrumptiousness."

He didn't much like the way she was gazing at Link and quickly spun them away eliciting a laugh from her.

"Jealous are you? Not a very flattering emotion, hon."

Jealous? Of Link?

Maybe he was a bit, but then Link seemed to be getting the best lot out of life. They were practically equal, he and Link. It was unfair that Link did better. He got to be the prince's personal guard, he got to stay in the castle, whereas Vrel had never stepped so much as a foot inside the grounds. Meanwhile he and Adra had to keep their rooms at the inn, and although it was comfortable and the price promised not to run them dry anytime soon, it still wasn't the same.

"But…" said Vivienne. "It shows that you know what you want. The next after that is ambition. If you know what you want, you should do whatever possible to attain it."

He knew what he wanted. He wanted Link's skill, his sudden notability, he wanted more than Link could ever have. And there was also...

Vivienne pulled his attention back to her. "I can help you. One must never have to rely solely on themselves, they should have others to depend on."

"Vivienne?" Vrel said, bewildered.

"My name… it sounds so pure on your tongue."

Vrel momentarily froze, breath caught.

She leaned in close, partially pulling him down to her, it wasn't that great of a distance, even without the heels she was strikingly tall. "You can depend on me, I assure you, as I know that I can also depend on you. If ever I need a _favor_, I can be sure to ask you, right?"

Without hesitance he replied. "Yes. Anything you need, anything that I can help you with, I'll fight storm and fire to aid you."

How could he not for such a captivating beauty.

The song came slowly to an end and Vivienne pulled away, smiling alluringly, her eyes flashing darkly.

"I'll hold you to that," she said suavely. "I must go now, but don't fret, hon. I'll be seeing you again real soon."

She cupped the back of his neck and brought his head down, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek she then moved away. She disappeared into the crowd and Vrel was left standing there, all his mental functionings at a standstill. He gently touched the part of his cheek that her lips had so recently frequented, then he looked over at Link who was speaking with that Knight lady.

He frowned. Link didn't really care about them did he? It hadn't taken him a second thought to drop him and Adra in favor of something better, as if they were disposable.

Vrel felt his heart pumping with anger and fisted his hands. He stormed down the street away from the square and away from the direction of the Keaton's Den. He was looking for a pub that was open. He wanted to drink by himself. Link could find his own pub or dip into the castle stores for all he cared. He just wanted to be alone.

* * *

**A/N: A bit of drama here. Lot's of stuff going on, and you get a sort of deeper representation of the character's personalities. **

**Sorry about the last chapter, to all those who wanted Link to catch Zelda. ^^, I have bigger plans for them, can't have everything unraveling too soon. I just noticed that this might be a really really long fic. Good thing I'm not taking classes this summer. **

**Hope you enjoyed, and tell me what you think.**


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